Happy Belated Postal Worker Day

I was seriously considering starting a national holiday in honor of postal workers.  I was going to try to get President Obama's support and everything.  But it turns out, there already is one!!  It was July 1st.  I wish I had known, because I would have done something special, like offered to buy the mail carrier a drink given the mail carrier a card or something.  These people work so hard, almost every day of the year.  Just think of  how many lives depend on mail carriers?  I'll just look at myself as an example.  What if my college applications had been lost in the mail, or didn't get there by the deadline (I sent 'em in at the last minute)?  What if my income taxes never reached the IRS?  What if my National Bone Marrow Registry information wasn't delivered?  What if *gasp* my Visa bill was paid late?!?  We need these postal workers so much, and most of us take them for granted.  This post might seem stupid to you, but I feel like paying tribute to them.  Day after day these men and women drive for miles, walking up and down what are sometimes dangerous blocks in unsafe neighborhoods, carrying a heavy bag of your mail around, in any kind of inclement weather, while getting chased by dogs (sometimes).  Or, if they work at the post office, they deal with at least one rude, obnoxious customer on a daily basis.

I admit, I do have some memories from my youth that cast the postal service in an unfavorable light: mail not being delivered/being delivered to the incorrect address/other people receiving my mail, but these few minuscule mail mishaps are largely overshadowed by my love and appreciation for the men and women in blue.