I am a mailman, have been for a little over 25 years now. Anyway you look at it, that's a lot of paper and ink. When I first started the job, I was amazed at how much you can learn about a person or a family just by what they receive in the mail. I knew when special events were happening, like weddings and birthdays and graduations. I knew where a person banked, who there favorite sports teams were, if they had outstanding parking tickets, if the IRS was after them. All kinds of interesting stuff.
As we all know, people don't send near as many letters as they have in the past. Nearly everyone just drops a short note in emails, makes a quick comment on Facebook or whatever, make a quick call or text, and that's about it. I started thinking about the last time I got a personal letter in the mail, and for the life of me I can't remember. I know we get Christmas cards, and some have the "year in review" letter, and there are birthday and anniversary cards, but just a letter? No clue.
It wasn't always this way of course. I know for a fact that about thirty years or so ago, people were still sending letters, because I still have them. Yep, I recently found an old stack of letters from the college days. Letters from Mom telling me what the sisters were up to, from buddies who had graduated, letters from the misses before she was the Misses. I found a letter from my Gramma (could tell her writing right away) and even a couple from folks I haven't thought about in years. It was fun to kind of go back in time and try to remember what was going on in the world, and especially my little part of it. I don't get that same feeling from old emails----of the few I have kept!!
I guess the personal letter truly is on it's last legs. I know I have a few older relatives who still write, but I imagine as they get older there will be even fewer letters sent. I know it's faster and cheaper to just drop an email. And I know people are pressed for time---or think they are. And I know I am as guilty as the next for not writing. But there is just something about putting pen to paper. And then dropping you thoughts and musings and news in a blue box for somebody else to read a couple of days later. And then to hold them in your hands, and to keep them if desired. So I've decided to do my little part. So friends and relatives, don't be surprised to check the mailbox and find a letter from me. I've decided one a week will be a good start. First one is off to the darling daughter---page and a half long, five minutes to write......just need to find a stamp.....
