Today is World Post Day… More often whenever we hear the word “post”, there is an image of a postman/woman who comes to your home with a bundle of letters. The new generation kids must not have realized much about this person visiting their homes as they have many other things to care. In my childhood days, the world of post was a matter of surprise. During those days, I check the address in all the letters which our postman gave me. I do so because:
- My grandpa and aunties used to write letters for me.
- My friends and cousins send greetings card for festivals.
- To get good stamps
I have kept one of my grandpa’s letters blessing me for my college education. His words are so powerful. Even though he died, I wrote the word “are” seeing as his letter is safe in my cupboard. He had compared educational change from school to college to the transplantation of saplings from nursery. Although I prefer typing in view of the fact that it reduces slaughter of plants, I’ve felt the power of “writing” in its true sense has its own value.
So coming back to the point, I was punctual in replying to the letters I received. May be that was the reason why people liked to mail me. Today we have online chats, emails, social media, sms and so on. Again we are not as satisfied as we were when we get a postal letter from someone. Similarly the postal greetings have become an endangered category and is replaced my e-cards. Until a few years back, I had a collection of postal greeting cards which I receive each year. While the time went on, all those cards were torn out and I’d to throw away. E-cards or sms wishes never had the color or uniqueness of postal cards. I had a stamp collection which is also safe inside my table. Today I do not worry much to add stamps in my philately album.
I belong to a generation who had seen the loveliness of letters. But I’ve not sensed the shock of getting telegrams. The only telegram I’d opened was a condolence posted from my mother’s office on account of my grandpa’s demise. That too reached one week after mailing. It was a thing to laugh when the colleagues kept calling my mom to ask, “Has the telegram arrived?” for the whole week.
Now the postmen come to deliver bills, insurance notifications, registered posts or rarely marriage invitation letters. Time has to go on! When some objects appear, others disappear. For next generations, let the postal department do not remain as a chapter in the history text. We must always remember and cherish the service of postal department in connecting the world when there was no virtual online life. At least on this post day, thank them for helping you to share your emotions so dearly.
