Newsworthy: Snow in the City, Smiles in the City

It’s beautiful. Peaceful. Soothing. Irritating. Dangerous. Powerful. It’s snow.

And it’s getting all kinds of bad press.

But at my parent’s for the past few days over the holidays, I’ve noticed something lovely. Camaraderie. Snow brings it out in people. It might keep more of is inside when it’s dumping down and freezing cold, but snow also becomes something everybody shares–no matter what race, religion, or un-neighbourly disposition–and has to come outside to deal with.

I’ve seen next-door frenemies (“Your kid’s base keeps me up at 4 am!”) turn into co-grumblers when out shoveling their driveways (“Damn snow shovel’s too heavy. What kind you got?). I’ve seen people out walking thanking the man they’ve never spoken to for clearing a sidewalk. I’ve seen a quiet, seemingly grumpy all the time man, attach a plow to his snowmobile and do the whole block. I’ve heard stories of friends in their cars, suddenly sliding backwards down an icy hill, only to find five people rushing out from where–we don’t know–to stop them from smashing into the car behind them.

I’m beginning to think all common challenges create yoga. Unity.

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