Dear editor,
Early Sunday morning and I’m out the door to shovel the sidewalk. We usually take turns with the neighbour to the right, especially because the husband is elderly and frail.
We don’t bother with the neighbour on the other side. He is fit and able, just a tad on the lazy side and then next to him is the neighbour we all wish would clean up his act.
The more I worked up a sweat the more my mind wandered. It was actually judgmental of me to decide who was lazy and who wasn’t, so I kept on shovelling.
Whether the neighbourhood had issues with someone didn’t change the fact that we are all connected. Bad behaviour usually stems from pain and misery. If one hurts, on a deep inner level where we are all one, we all hurt.
And so I kept shovelling.
Not only did I shovel in front of the houses. I also shovelled their sidewalks and steps up to the front door.
I sped up. I didn’t want to be caught.
I was not doing this for recognition or thanks. Tears welled up and streamed down my face.
Seven houses later and I returned home feeling blessed and at peace.
Bev Petersen,
Courtenay