The call came at 7 p.m.

"Can you and your son help us move our swing set? We're going to put in a pool."

"Of course we'll help."

Scott and I quickly finished dinner, found our work gloves, and crossed the street to join a small group of neighbors ready to lift the heavy wooden structure to make way for an underground pool. All agreed that the only thing better than a pool is a neighbor with a pool.

We received clear instructions on where to grab hold of the heavy wood, where to carry the heavy swing set, and where to expect the heaviest challenges. Did I mention that this was heavy lifting?

But we didn't care. Bryce, my neighbor and most popular person on the block for installing a pool, prepared us well. The task took only a few moments to explain, and the actual lift took less than two minutes. Two hard minutes.

But we didn't care. Why? Because Bryce told us specifically what he wanted us to do and how to do it. He also predicted the heaviness. Yet, while we strained under the weight, every ...