When I sat down at the computer to write today, I tried to think of a way around writing about this past weekend’s snowstorm. But it is impossible. The weather has had us in its grip, through an incredible amount of snowfall, and now the chilling temperatures. It has defined every act and led to an immense amount of inaction. Plans made for this busy time of the year were sidelined by an inability to move ourselves, and most particularly, our cars through the towering snowdrifts that line every street and corner.

This morning I watched as the Twin Cities was the lead story on every news program. The video footage displayed the Metrodome with snow breaking through the Teflon ceiling and finally imploding altogether under the weight of the more than seventeen inches of snow that had fallen over 24 hours. It was a spectacular sight, I must admit. Luckily, no one was hurt in this event.

But, for me, the real story was the way in which total strangers pulled together to push, dig, pull, pry and lift cars and people out of the ditches and piles of quickly mounting snow. Nearly every corner had at least one car stuck, sometimes several. People met under the circumstance of shared strandedness. And so,they did what they could. They pitched in to fix the situation through energy, imagination, and goodwill. Several times I looked down a street to see people lugging shovels on their shoulders. They would stop to eyeball the car that was incapacitated and then go to work.

Several ideas came to mind watching this kind of cooperation First of all, the sheer goodness of people. Really. When faced with a common problem, people most often rise to the occasion and solve it in the best way they know. Through the collaboration of the weakest and the strongest, the youngest and oldest, those who have resources and those who have little, people got through the mess of Saturday and Sunday. They may have even shared a laugh or two in the process.

The other idea was this: What might happen with our political leaders if they were made to help one another dig out and  jump-start themselves out of a blizzard? What if, armed with only shovels, some salt and a bucket of sand, they had to work together to get unstuck? It would, I believe, require cooperation, compassion and good old common sense. But I have no doubt at all that they would succeed.

Of course, the situation we find ourselves in as a nation is complicated and it took more than a weekend snowstorm to get us here. But I can’t help but think that some of the solution lies in the same skills employed all over the Twin Cities the last few days. Things like seeing a neighbor….or a stranger….in need.  Setting personal gain aside and deciding to get involved. Putting in the effort required to work for the common good. Saying a big thank you and then moving on.