The need for communication has been a part of mankind since the birth of mankind. Without communication lives cannot coexist and progress cannot build upon the ideas and beliefs of human beings. It has always interested me to think about this great divide centuries ago. A person could not just pick up a phone and make that crucial call with vital information let alone a quick, "Hey, just wanted to touch base and let you know I was thinking about you," kind of day-maker.
To think of all those immigrants traveling to our shores with generations of family left behind. Families holding on to one another as all they have left to communicate with or simply one lone adventurer striking out all by himself cut off in the wilderness.
I am sure it is the "writer" in me that finds this so intriguing, and not surprising at all that once again necessity was the mother of invention when the Unites States Postal Service began to form within our government involving George Washington and Benjamin Franklin. These visionaries who helped form our nation also new communication would be a must.
Where once the origin was to pass information among the colonies and abroad, the California Gold Rush prompted even further expansion of this system. People sought the western shores in droves to seek what we may consider now a chance to win the lottery. The Pony Express was formed and stage coaches rolled westward delivering news and personal letters. This meant crossing over ominous mountain ranges, blizzards and snow storms, even Indian attacks. It took letters months to get from one end of this nation to another if not lost along the way.
Soon came the railroad system and telegram system. Words from loved ones traveled faster to be sped up even more when planes, trains, and automobiles were all involved in the world of transporting the written word.
"Cut To" a new millennium where human beings from the ages of 5 to 85 walk around with their own personal post office in their purse or pocket. Within minutes maybe seconds a quick thought from a friend in Europe is sent via satellite to a friend in Louisiana and two people separated by an ocean are sharing a smile.
This is a lot of needless information to the person who is not so intrigued by this massive evolution of our deliveries of thoughts and words; however, I would be willing to place a bet on how many of such people are not touched in a special way when aside from those quick texts, they open up the mail box and a letter awaits to be read.
I was cleaning out some boxes in my office a few weeks back when I came across an old yellowed card with a little girl holding a large bunch of flowers. It read, "Lots of Love Granddaughter." It was a Happy Birthday wish from my Grandma and Grandpa Brannan in Alabama. I must have been turning five and after all these years the sweetness of the message had not lost an ounce of its love.
I am sure that many people do not stop to think about the history of our postal system when opening a card or letter from the mail box when they arrive home from work at the end of the day. And in this fast-paced world many would say the text messages suits them fine. I hope that is not the case for most. I hope that future generations will continue to stop, take a moment, and write it down, put it in the mailbox, and lift up that flag. You never know if almost fifty years later your grandchild might be showing it to her grandchildren with all the love still signed, sealed, and delivered
