All of the Above with James Brown
The James Brown Commentary
Clear Sidewalks, Clear Minds
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Clear Sidewalks, Clear Minds

On shoveling in winter

I shovel and salt my walk down to the bare concrete. Always have, always will. Some folks around here just clear a path wide enough for one foot in front of the other. Not me.

I can’t stand the thought of someone slipping on ice or trudging through snow because I didn’t take a little extra time. It’s not just about avoiding a lawsuit—it’s about doing it right.

I’ll admit, there’s a strange satisfaction in it. The scrape of the shovel. The crunch of salt underfoot. The sight of clean, dry concrete when the job’s done. It feels... productive. Like a small corner of the world is better because of something I did.

Maybe it’s old-fashioned. Maybe I’m a perfectionist. Or maybe it’s a kind of unspoken agreement with the world: I’ll do my part, no matter how small.

What about you? Do you take the extra time to clear it down to the concrete? Or are you a "good enough" kind of person?

Tell me at jamesbrowntv.substack.com.

On that note, I’m James Brown, and as always, be well.

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