Blizzard of '96
I
live in a apartment building in a planned community, complete with private
roads. I have lived in this community of mostly professionals and retirees
for over three years, but I had met only a few of my neighbors.
After
the snow had stopped falling from the Blizzard of '96 we were left to fend
for ourselves because the city and state services were overwhelmed. I went
out to the parking lot to dig out my and my girlfriend's cars. I took a
large metal piece of my desk to use as a shovel. After about 30 minutes
of digging, some of the neighbors came out with snow shovels and told me
if I helped them, they would help me. I agreed and we dug out each others'
cars. The streets were closed due to a state of emergency declared by the
governor , so we had nowhere to go.
As
I said, I only know my immediate neighbors, one who is elderly. But we all
(we were 10 guys, all together, in the beginning) put our heads together
and figured out who was too old or too ill to dig themselves out and went
about, as a team, digging out people most of us had never met. As the day
went on, more and more people joined us, men and women. We became an army
of snow diggers, our only motivation was concern for the people who were
stuck and our growing friendship.
Everyone
was concerned for each other. Someone asked me if I had enough food to get
by. It was typical of the spirit of the day. I made a lot of friends that
day and we are planning a party to be held at the club house in the spring.
Kindness
and concern for others has countless rewards!
