With the combination of high winds, nearly a foot of snow and single-digit wind chill, the storm of Feb. 9 was one of the more daunting Northwest blizzards in recent memory. After the earlier Big Freeze in the Midwest in mid-January, I suppose it was bound to be our turn.
I spent part of that snowy evening watching a marvelous TV documentary about one of the positive game-changers in our lifetimes, Mr. Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood. In my opinion, Mr. Rogers planted the life-giving and life-redeeming seeds of love, acceptance, truth telling and hope in the minds and hearts of millions of children.
Over the course of more than 1,700 episodes (and sweater changes!), I believe he helped change the course of our nation’s spirit for the good. Or in the words of Martin Luther King, Jr., Fred Rogers helped to bend the moral arc of our nation toward justice and righteousness.
The next morning, the winds calmed, the snowfall reduced and, best of all, the sun came out!
As my neighbors and I slowly emerged to tackle the three-foot drifts, the chill on Saturday gave way to some amazing warmth on Sunday. Warmth not just from the skies freed of clouds and fog, but from the generous expressions of neighborliness and mutual help in clearing driveways and sidewalks. It was a beautiful sight in so many ways!
Fred would have been proud — I surely was!
The interesting thing is that until the recent winter storm, I had not met that many of my neighbors, beyond an occasional greeting in passing. But that day, as I shoveled with a number of folks, and observed with appreciation others generously employing their snow blowers, I learned names and connected people and places.It was a heart-warming day, even more than the steaming hot chocolate!
So why is it, then, that the good seems to wait until the crisis to emerge?
One answer to my question has been provided by the sage Mr. Rogers who said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helper. You will always find people who are helping.’ ” This weekend I saw that Fred’s mother was right.
