They have served this nation as essential workers since the late 1600s. Back then, their drop-off and pick-up stations were local taverns. Their courage made the U. S. Postal Service possible 100 years later.
When we mark Thank a Mail Carrier Day on February 4, we are saluting the hardworking men and women who carry on regardless of the weather. These dedicated individuals deliver more than envelopes and packages. Yes, they haul junk mail too, but all that superfluous stuff helps fund USPS operations.
Our mail carriers deliver smiles with birthday cards and joy with birth announcements. They bring us pride inside graduation announcements and thrills tucked in wedding invitations. It all keeps us in touch with each other without being filtered through email.
Snail mail isn’t point-and-click convenient, but it literally comes with a human touch. It has been that way since before the U. S. Postal Service was formally established in 1775. Under the guidance of venerable Benjamin Franklin, mail delivery became better organized and mail carriers received better training.
Today, the men and women of the USPS still work hard earning their positions and keeping up with their routes. They must pass detailed background screening and rigorous physical tests. Acing the Postal Exam is a legendary challenge mixing memory skills with complicated coding.
As much as we admire what they do, we aren’t supposed to tip them on Thank a Mail Carrier Day or any other day of the year. That is the rule. We understand. Instead, let’s get creative.
If you live in a chilly climate, gift your mail carrier with a travel mug full of hot chocolate. Wait for him or her by your box with a hand-written thank-you note. Let’s show our mail carriers how much we appreciate their hard work, but let’s not hold them up. They have more stops to make and more smiles to deliver.