Changing the World, One Mailbox at a Time

While out of town visiting my mother, I was invited to join her on the patio of a neighbor who was having a little social gathering. Not knowing the group, I sat there awkwardly smiling, listening to three simultaneous conversations. I kept hearing the name Joe, as if they were all talking about a long-time friend. Joe is thoughtful, Joe is helpful, Joe remembered…. “Who’s Joe?” I whispered to my mom.

Not realizing that everyone was talking about Joe, she said, “You mean Joe, the mail carrier?”

“ I guess.”

“Oh,” she laughed. “Yes, Joe!” Upon hearing his name, the group’s conversations converged, and everyone continued to talk about him.

“Joe always stops to say hello.” “Joe rings my doorbell when he has a package.” “Joe knew that I wasn’t home and saw an Amazon package on my front porch and brought it around back for safe keeping.” “Joe notices things.” “Joe is nice.”  “Joe is friendly.”  “Joe is wonderful.” How did they know all of this? I’ve waved to my mail carrier, but I don’t know his name or anything about him.

When we returned to my mom’s home, she said with tears starting to well up in her eyes, “Joe knew when Dad died. He saw a group of people at the church on a Saturday and asked about what was happening. When he learned it was Dad’s funeral, he made a special effort to come talk to me later that week to give me his condolences.”

A few days later, my mom and I were out in her backyard when, someone called out “hello” from the driveway. I saw a mail carrier wearing his official shirt and shorts, waving. “Could this be Joe?” I thought.

He said, “I have a package that I know you have been waiting for, Daryl; I wanted to make sure you saw it right away.”

I jumped up, “Joe?”

“ Yes?”

“Oh, my goodness, it’s you!” He handed my mom the package, smiled and turned to leave. I wanted to document this somehow and quickly said, “Would you mind it if I took a photo of you?”  He seemed a little taken back and shy, but happily he smiled for the camera.

I met Joe!  All of a sudden, I wanted to know more about what he does each day. I learned that he starts work early sorting mail into trays and then processes it into tubs before he hauls the mail to his truck. He sets out to deliver the letters, advertisements, magazines and packages carrying around 35 pounds of mail at a time as he walks his 10-to-12-mile zip code route. His eight hours a day, six days a week job is physically demanding and requires a lot of stamina. His job is important to every address on his route.

Yet Joe looks beyond his responsibilities. For him his route is not just mailboxes, he sees homes with real people in them; individuals with names, concerns and complex lives. These people know they can count on Joe for a friendly hello. They can count on Joe for ringing the doorbell with an important package. They can count on him to help keep the neighborhood safe. Joe gives a part of himself to everyone on his route.

I want to be more like Joe. In a world where people feel lonely and many don’t feel valued, we can be like Joe. In neighborhoods where there are strangers passing each other on the side walk and sitting next to each other in coffee shops, we can be like Joe. In a society that is distracted by screens and sometimes doesn’t see others, we can be like Joe. Yes, Joe, who makes consistent efforts to connect with others. He connects by going out of his way to enrich lives, share goodness, and make people feel valued, loved and needed. No wonder the people in my mom’s neighborhood all love Joe. Joe loves them. This mail carrier is changing the world one mailbox at a time!

Joe

“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.”

 (Engraved in gray granite over the entrance to the New York City Post Office on 8th Avenue.)

 

Different ways we can be courteous to our mail carrier:

1. Please empty your mail boxes.
2. Keep your walks shoveled and please don’t park in front of your mail box.
3. Make sure Fido is not in the carrier’s path. Even friendly pets should be contained.
4. Refrain from asking your carrier to mail packages for you. It is difficult for them to do.
5. Remember it is not their fault if they can’t leave a package due to a required signature.
6. Be aware that even if there is not a signature required, mail carriers may still have to ask you for a signature.
7. Plan to be home for a scheduled delivery or reschedule for when you will be home.
8. Keep in mind that the postal service is not funded by tax dollars. All revenue comes from sale of postage, products and services.
9. Don’t blame them for a lost package. Most “lost” packages are still en route.
10. Beware that sometimes mail carriers will make up for “insufficient postage” by adding stamps themselves. And like everyone else they have to stand in line to buy their own stamps.
11. Appreciate that mail carriers put good news and personal mail on top.
12. Keep in mind that it is difficult to read addresses on red envelopes with colored ink. It slows the mail process down. (Think Christmas and Valentine’s Day)
13. Realize that delivering mail is more complex than you think. For instance, there are a number of algorithms that generate the most efficient way to travel the route based on the time value that’s assigned to each street.
14. Appreciate that your carrier’s job is a physically demanding.
15. Please show appreciation to your carrier. Wave, smile and say thank you!