for the sake of goodness

Parking on our street is limited. We live in one of those rare Cambridge neighborhoods where street parking is only at a premium during the day, thanks to the trial courts. By 6pm, you typically have no problem finding a spot.

So when Dumpstorm Blizzard of Christmas 2010 arrived, there were few cars on my street. Hence, snow has instead parked itself in any available parking spots. The few of us who need our cars have shoveled out and are placing bins or chairs or other markers to save our clean spots.

Thinking I'd do the neighborly thing, I decided to clean out one of the snowed-in spaces, freeing a new spot. Lots of passers-by, including my next-door neighbors, were shocked that I would do such a thing. I caught those looks in their eyes like I was crazy.

Have we lost all sense of doing good for our fellow man? OK, a parking spot is not like giving food to the hungry, or shelter to the homeless. But as George on Seinfeld once said: "We live in a society." We each need to do our part, no matter how small or how grand the act.