Still Needing the Post Office

An Associated Press article this week (http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ap-us-deadletters,0,790123.story)
says that nearly two months pass before the typical American receives a personal letter in the mail. Thankfully, my mother isn’t typical.

Living in a nursing home at 93, my mom receives four or five letters from relatives in an average week. I read these to her, as she no longer is able to concentrate enough to either read or write letters. For decades, my mom sent letters prolifically, mailing dozens a month to friends and relatives. I would receive about three a week from her myself.

While email via the Internet has pretty much killed personal handwritten communication, old folks without computers still look forward to hearing from loved ones through daily delivery of a stamped letter. My brother Dave and my Uncle Joe write to my mom once a week, even though Joe lives in the same city and visits his sister in person on a weekly basis.

The real champion letter writer, though, is my cousin Betty Ann, who composes witty and compelling theme letters two or three times a week to my mom. Betty Ann always has an interesting story about her childhood, our relatives or her career to tell. I think the essays would make a great book someday. But for now I’m grateful she has an audience of one, my mother.