Freedom of the streets!

We have been under a state of emergency for two days now and the military has been called in to help clear up after the blizzard. Meanwhile, the weather has been sunny, neighbours have all been helping each other shovel out, and the streets yesterday and today were full of people walking, skiing, snowshoeing and snowboarding, enjoying the sunshine, each other’s company, and the freedom from the usual danger of getting hit by a car. For those of us who have been able to get out it has been an unheard of delight to be able to walk around without fear.

My friend, Marie Wadden, wrote eloquently on Facebook about the sense of community this engendered:

About being forced to [stay] in our neighbourhoods by this State of Snow Emergency: It’s kind of great, and makes me realize how cars strip us of community by expanding our reach so wide. My day was brightened by hearing from a more elderly friend how numerous of her neighbours have been to see her. I am making muffins for our neighbours who helped us yesterday, and I hope some new neighbours – from Angola – will take me up on an offer of a visit with us. Usually I am dashing in and out of the house to the car, hardly noticing those around me. Many have suffered from this “snizzard”, but it has this upside.