I like snow. It looks nice, it covers up the gray of winter, it is fun to play in, and it can make driving so much more interesting. But I’m not a big fan of shoveling snow. If Maggie gets out of bed in the morning, looks out the window and tells me that it snowed during the night, I’ll probably start grumbling. Who likes to roll out of bed, put on their warmest clothes, and go push snow off their driveway?

I do have one friend who claims to like shoveling, but he likely has some “issues”.

Because our house is on a busy road, we sometimes notice people passing by riding a bike or on foot. These folks aren’t out for exercise, but are trying to get somewhere and have no other way to do so. Because the suburbs are designed around the car, it can be difficult to get around without one.  Some members of the Parkview community who are homeless face the logistical challenge of getting around the burbs every day.

All of this was going through my head while shoveling the other day. Generally I only clear the driveway and a path to the mailbox. But then I began wondering if shoveling might be a small act of justice. If I took some extra time to clear the entire sidewalk in front of our house, that little stretch would make someone’s journey slightly more manageable. I started thinking about a person with all his possessions in a couple of bags trying to get from one homeless shelter to the next. That journey is hard enough without the snow and ice on the sidewalk in front of our house.

So, for what it’s worth, I’m trying to think about shoveling as a bit of justice.

Though I’m still prone to grumble when it snows.