Saturday morning Bev and I went to a friend’s house to help her move. We got to her new digs about 9:30 AM where we met her to help unpack the first truck load. That went pretty quickly.
After lunch we went to a storage shed to empty it, and we picked up a few additional items at her old house. The second truck load was just as full as the first—front to back. There were just 5 of us to do the work. And there were several feet between the truck ramp and the front door of the two-story house. Lot’s of walking.
We completed unloading the truck at about 4:00 PM. I discovered that a 61 year old man shouldn’t be unloading U-Hauls. Every muscle and joint in my body ached. However, a little Advil when I got home, and the pain went away. I felt amazingly normal the next day. But I would do it again in an instant.
Helping a friend move is an activity of community. It’s a 21st century version of a barn raising. Friends swarm to help you accomplish something you can’t really do alone. I like the laughter, eating, and accomplishment. It also creates unique bonds to the person being helped. Muscle aches notwithstanding, helping a friend is the best.
