Snow covered a pond near my home. Ice skating was difficult. Undeterred, a girl on skates pushed a shovel. She cleared a patch of ice. Other skaters gravitated to the spot.
Every winter, skaters open up patches of ice. Nobody minds the labor. If anything, the task pleasurable. It’s fun to watch a patch of ice widen with each lap of one’s skating.
I suspect there’s another reason why this labor is pleasurable. When skaters clear snow, they’re doing more than helping themselves. They’re assisting everyone, even strangers, on that pond.
Satisfaction comes easily when making a tangible contribution to the common good.
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