You can't pay for this

For 48 hours total freedom, as the powers to be told everyone in the general northern Indiana region you can't leave your house. (at least not by car).
For parts of 3 days almost all of us had total freedom. We could do whatever or nothing as long as it was confined to our house. For many this was a total different way of life, no schedule, no meetings, plans canceled. A time for relaxation, and family time.
If life is a script that is to be followed freedom can seem extremely intimidating and almost paralyzing. But if life is about community and relationships nothing changes. Nothing changes when freedom from tasks and responsibilities but it does give opportunities for community.
Three years ago in February we encountered a similar situation, snowed in no plows complete boredom. The second night of this hibernation period I received a text lets play cards tonight. Even though we can't drive we can still walk. That night started a weekly pine creek experience. That experience has led to conversations, experiences, and friendship through circumstances.
This time around it took a matter of 2 hours before I received the text lets play cards today. None of us were doing anything else. except my poor neighbor who works for a heating and cooling company his boss came and plowed him out so he could work.
The walk Monday afternoon through my neighborhood was freezing at best. I don't think I have ever been so cold, but the afternoon was well worth the walk. Stale Christmas popcorn, beers flowing (im not a drinker and also had to walk the furthest) and laughter over all sorts of stupid stuff made for a great afternoon.
Community can not and does not ever stop. In my down time over the past few week I read Orange is the new black. A great true story of a women incarcerated and the story of community in prison, I also watched the last season of the office over a few nights while Kyle couldn't get comfortable and was getting up every 30 minutes. We all long to have relationships at work like they do in the office, being with people that are as quirky as can be but loving them and being accepted by them anyway.
Community happens whether we realize it or not. As I think through our new part of the neighborhood community has happened through catching feral cats, shooting rabid raccoons, and tasting the culinary delights of one who just became the head pastry chief of Northwestern. All of those moments could have been lost because of time and keeping schedules.
Moments like this week happen because of built in relationships, they happen because time was carved out previously. This happens because someone wasn't satisfied with a status quo neighborhood.
As Sunday and Monday continued to be long Scott who had begun feeding the feral cat, texted and asked Jill if he should bring it into his garage. He had built an outdoor structure to keep the cat warm was worried for this little cat. He asked us for some kitty litter and went out to catch it in the huge snow drift.
Scott hasn't had a good experience with the neighbors previous to us. He had gotten so mad at them he had built a fence that was backwards as if to give them the middle finger. But because of our joint experience with the cats we have built a great relationship, one that goes with not asking for milk on a snowy day but rather kitty litter.
As Tuesday came it seemed so much warmer. (I guess it was in reality). As many of us began digging ourselves out it became clear the snowblower people and the shovel people. As a shovel person it wasn't bad at all until the plows came through and pilled ice snow dirt mix at the end of our driveways. As we all dug out the next doors drive had a half hearted attempt to get to the mailbox. This is a mom and daughter who live there as the husband/dad has taken a job away from them. The daughter is college age and the mother is not in good health, I was thinking my back is pretty sore but it would be pretty bad for them if the mother has a health issue and can not get out.
Randy is a great example, he is a manly man in the neighborhood. No shirt and kerchief on in the summer. Always washing his cars, snowblowing, and generally making his house clean are his hobbies. He had helped this neighbor that is between us a few times this winter. This time Randy started attacking the end of the driveway and I had the privilidge of joining him when my drive was done. We had been at work for about ten minutes when the daughter hurried out was a little sheepish and apologetic. She explained how she had tried to get a plow service to come do her yard and had been told it would be awhile. As the three of us continued to work she was over the top appreciative and insisted she pay us.
As we continued the shoveling I felt sorry for this girl. You can't pay for this, there isn't enough money at the same time we do it for free. That is what community is about, you can't pay for it. It can not be paid for, it can't be forced, it happens. It happens when people get 48 hours of free time and decide I can't stay in my house by myself. It happens when people give up their time and use energy reserved for other things to invest in relationships.
You know it is happening when a neighbor trusts you enough to ask for your opinion. It happens when an atheist consistently asks spiritual questions.
Community doesn't look forward to taking off snow days. Rather it comes alive.