the art of shoveling.

When the snow starts to fly in Wisconsin, the kids all don their snow pants and head out to play, skiers and snowshoers strap on equipment and hit the trails, the plows hit the road in full force but rush hour traffic still travels at the pace of a snail and the snow blowers start up with their loud and obnoxious drone. Luckily, there are not many snow blowers on my street. Around here it seems, most are content to shovel(and complain about it all season long, of course).

I love to shovel. Really, I do. I'm a late night, early morning shoveler. I try to work it so that my little ones are snuggled in bed fast asleep, the neighborhood is quiet, the sky is dark and I'm the only one out. To be alone and outside in the quiet and stillness is like therapy for me. It's time for me to think uninterrupted. Or to simply listen to the scrape of shovel on ice and not think at all. To breathe the crisp air and move and stretch my body. It's a time for me to accomplish something good and hard and tangible. As a single mom(and like all mamas* out there), my job is hard. Everyday is alot of hard work. But you can't always see what you've done. In fact, alot of days, it looks as though I haven't done anything at all yet feels as if I've gone thru a major battle. There's something different about hard physical labor, though. When I shovel, I can see my progress immediately, I can feel my body working hard and when I'm done, there is a definite sense of accomplishment. A feeling of, heck-yeah-I-can-do-this. I'm ok. I can go it alone. It's an ego boost, admittedly. A much needed and welcome boost for this hard working, single mama, for sure.

*This, of course goes for all parents, single or not, moms and dads. Being a parent is alot of work. I, personally, relate to mamas, being one myself but it certainly doesn't mean that I am oblivious to the work of all parents...so, please don't take offense! :)