A Snow Shoveler's Lament

After being holed up in my house for a little more than 24 hours, I finally ventured outside to begin the dreaded cleanup. The words 'snow' and 'shovel' elicit terribly negative images for me and I always avoid it until I absolutely have to. Besides, I think it's always best to let Mother Nature finish her work and the town plows complete their barricade of my driveway from the street before I tackle the mess. It may be harder that way, but at least I only have to tackle the mess but one time.

I'm just returned inside the house after working laboriously for about an hour. (It's one of the tips in the piece Tips for Clearing Snow Safely: take frequent breaks.) During the hour I was out there I started my cars, cleaned off the stoop, and began to clear the driveway. Two of my neighbors were clearing their own driveways and what soon came to pass gave me food for thought.

You see, I live in an old neighborhood, with houses dating back to the early 1900's, and many of them are still occupied by long time homeowners. As such, many of my neighbors are predominantly older, including my two fellow shovelers. After being out there for about a half hour, I looked up to see that my neighbor across the street had come over to my next door neighbor's to help him with the plowed-in stuff, the heavier, more packed in snow left by the plows.

For about fifteen minutes, the two of them labored together, clearing the way for my next door neighbor's car to escape its snowy barricade and venture out into wherever he needed to go. Next, the two men crossed the street to do the same on the other's driveway, and they were still working as I came in for my break.

I couldn't help but wish that I could have helped them out, but my own driveway is no easy task to clean and I need all the energy I can muster to get it done. I'm no spring chicken myself anymore. Years ago I wouldn't even have had to take this break I now find myself taking, but for my own health I need to be safe.

I remembered the days of my own youth and lamented what has become of society. As a youngster, whenever there was a snowstorm such as this one, my friends and I would grab our shovels and walk around the neighborhood offering to shovel people's driveways. It was a way for us to make some extra cash and it was always an adventure doing it with a friend.

You don't see that any more today. In the twelve-plus years I've lived in my house I've only once had someone knock on my door asking to shovel my driveway, and the guys were twenty-something's, not teenagers. In today's world, I think that kids are too spoiled. They're handed everything they could want without having to work for it. Of course, that doesn't apply to all kids. I'm sure there are plenty out there who still may venture out into the snow covered streets looking to make a buck and help some people out who could use it, but I believe that today that is the exception rather than the rule.

Unfortunately I believe that there are far too many able-bodied kids spending these snow days inside, playing the latest version of Mafia Wars or Grand Theft Auto, texting their friends, or playing around on Facebook. In the meantime, my two sixty-something year old neighbors pool their energies together, huffing and puffing all the way, simply because there aren't any able-bodied teenagers around here willing to help them out. That's a real shame!

Well, I'm off once again to finish clearing my driveway. I wish somebody had knocked on my door while I was writing this piece. I would gladly have paid for them to finish it for me...