Not only would she be familiar with the names and faces of virtually all the people in Chapelton, Clarendon, where she is stationed, but it is likely that she would know a good deal about their relationship with the people they were receiving mail from and sending mail to, locally and abroad.
And while she would be privy to developments, whether by the flow of mail or through conversation as the all-important sorting through was being conducted, the postmistress would not be the only one involved in the sense of community around the post office. Old friends would meet and greet, the youngsters would get to know and respect the elders in their community.
So it is not only the volume of mail and, correspondingly, the number of staff members required to handle it, which has changed at the Chapelton Post Office (and other communities like it), as was reported in The Gleaner yesterday. It is also, we daresay, the bond among community members.
This reduction in use of the postal service comes at a time when, increasingly, instances of missing and mauled children, especially in rural communities, continue to appal us.
violation of children
We are not suggesting, of course, a cause-and-effect relationship between the decline in use of snail mail and the increase of violence against and violation of children. We do posit, though, that the changing nature of communication, which is reflective of a wider metamorphosis of human interaction, is weakening the bonds among community members and making spaces for the marauders to exploit.
Among the changes are in entertainment, increasingly a home-based affair, what with the spread of cable television and the Internet.
There are, of course, other places where community members meet, including the church and at sporting events. But the post office is unique in its universality (the mail does not have denominational preferences) and the fact that it exists specifically for communication.
So while we lament the breakdown of values and the general peace in our society, let us not forget that times are really changing. And if they are changing for the worse, as seems to be the case, we must fill the void between human beings that the changes are creating.
This comes back to the well-worn and rehashed strategies of community bonding events, but we suggest that the concentration should not be on events that centre around competition (such as football leagues) and commerce. Instead, they could be family fun days, without events that pit one against the other in serious contests.
We cannot replace institutions like the post office and the bonding it created as a by-product, but we can learn from and apply their wonderful side effects of building and sustaining relationships.
The opinions on this page, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Gleaner. To respond to a Gleaner editorial, email us: editor@gleanerjm.com or fax: 922-6223. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all responses will be published.