USPS versus The World

As I drove into work this morning, I was disheartened to learn that the average US household receives a letter once every seven weeks.  Compare that to 24 years ago in 1987 where the average US household received a letter once every two weeks.  In today's mail, junk and catalogs comprise more 'mail' than the actual mail that we look forward to receiving.  As a society, we are so focused on the "now" that snail mail has fallen to the wayside...way to the wayside.  News travels faster than it every has before, and each day there are advances in our system to get information to us even faster than the day before.  We are technology and information driven, and, in our world, the faster the better.

The thought of the demise of the United States Postal Service is very real.  For years, news broadcasts, radio broadcasts, papers, internet articles have mentioned the possibility of removing the Saturday mail delivery.  Jobs have been cut, stamp costs have risen, the internet has created a cheaper and faster way to communicate and pay bills, and debt in the postal service continues to rise. What was once an iconic emblem of our every freedom is becoming null and void.  And it is very depressing.

I can't imagine life without the ability to send or receive snail mail.  It is one of my favorite things.  I've grown up with the mail.  I received letters from Grandparents in the mail.  I received college offer letters in the mail, and I won't even begin to tell you how many times I've been to the post office in the last week mailing something else out.  (FYI, I've been four times, but, for the record, that is above average.)  After hearing the stats this morning, I'm beginning to wonder if my mail habits are keeping the USPS afloat.

What are we going to do at Christmas when everyone sends Christmas cards?  What are we going to do when we want to put a little extra effort in and actually hand write a letter?  How will we send our secret admirer or pen pal or family member or best friend a special little something?  What about postcards and invitations and birthday cards?  How will we explain the foreign concept of "snail mail" to future generations?  It is something that won't be around forever, but it certainly is one of those small things in life that really make it special.

Now, before you go and get me all wrong, I am all for conservation of paper and protecting the world and what not.  I could use 97% less fluff (junk mail and catalogs) and 150% more meat and potatoes (real mail) to save the trees and the backs of our postal service workers, but it's not up to me.  All I can do is write when I can, when I feel like it, and know that the unexpecting person on the other end is going to get a very special treat in a few days.

It's hard fighting a losing battle, but I'm comforted knowing that the USPS will not just close tomorrow.  We've got at least a few more years where I can find pretty stamps at the post office and send hand written letters to special someones.  (I know, soooo 1990's.)  And I look forward to those moments of sending and receiving a dying art - our old school form of communication!  I'm happy that I have been able to partake in snail mail firsthand!