One of the very first blogs I ever visited was that of Franke James, you’ve heard me tout her greenness and the wonderfully unique way she illustrates her views. Recently she posted and illustrated something brilliantly. How what she said spoke to me!! I had been writing a very similar conversation in my head.

I wrote this letter to the editor of my 2 local papers yesterday:

Please shovel.

In the old days our streets were mud and plank.

There were no sidewalks.

Ever wonder why we have sidewalks? Could it be to make our walking commute to town, or to the train easier? Could it be a safety thing? We are definitely a commuter town and many of our citizens use the sidewalks as a safe, swift portal to get to where they need to go.

I walk my Siberian Husky daily on our community sidewalks. This winter my walks have become rather treacherous. See… when the sidewalk is clear I can walk a good 2 miles in about 45 minutes. When the sidewalks are not clear I can’t get more than one house away before having to hit the street for safe ground or shuffle my way along the sidewalk praying I don’t go flying. The shuffling makes me feel like an old person or something, and yet even when I shuffle I have a good 3 slips or scares every time I walk my dog. I don’t like feeling scared and I get mad that I can’t hit my stride

It doesn’t help that my dogs is 70 lbs of lean running machine – I need to and want to walk her for that reason; for her spirit of mind, to exercise her and for my health. I can’t accomplish any of these things if I can’t get my stride.

Why are some sidewalks not shoveled? Where is the concern? Do these people not realize that the sidewalks are there for a reason? Isn’t it a homeowner’s civic responsibility? Are sidewalks a municipality? Perhaps the community could pitch in. Where are the boys who used to shovel from Sunday school?

For those who shovel your walks – I thank you. For those who don’t …perhaps you could.


cracks me up lego snow removal flickr image credit

<sup>Karen Hanrahan ~ Wellness Educator/Nutritional Consultant/Blog Author
708.482.0678 ~ Websites: Nutrition, Weight Loss, and Green Clean as seen on Oprah

Member of BNI – West Suburban BNI: “Chapter Mentor”
Member, Board Member and Programming Chair of West Suburban Women Entrepreneurs</sup>