The other day I went to my local post box only to find it wasn’t there.

It’s disappointing on so many levels, but guess the old adage “use it or lose it” applies more widely than musculature.

I have no idea when the box was removed, but that the Australia Post website told me it was there makes it doubly disappointing.

After all, if you can’t trust their website, who can you trust for reliable information about the postal service?

So instead of a ten minute walk to the post box, I now have to take a twenty minute walk to the local post office.

Which brings me to another point.

If you don’t choose, circumstances will choose for you.

It’s likely we as a community haven’t used the box sufficiently for it to remain.

As an example, the bulk of my mail is taken care of via the internet.

In fact, my gas, electricity and phone providers charge extra for paper bills posted to street addresses.

My bank statements are printed with boxes inviting me to sign up for electronic statements, and I remain slighty surprised they aren’t charging me for paper already seeing as they charge for everything else.

And I admit that I am part of the problem. The only things I physically post these days are cards and gifts, and there’s not many of them. I usually order online and let the shop take care of the postage.

If I was like the majority of my neighbours I’d be posting nearer where I work than where I live – there aren’t many of us based at home anymore.

It’s a Catch 22 situation.

People can’t get to the post office when they’re open (business hours), and the post office isn’t very flexible – unlike certain companies using subcontracted (cheap) labour to deliver seven days a week.

So we outsource our gifting, and postage prices get higher, so we outsource more, in a vicious circle of diminishing returns.

And so often, Clever Girl and I watch the postman drive straight by rather than stopping to deliver, and it’s no real wonder when it’s getting so difficult to post a letter.

I keep waiting for them to cut deliveries as well. Or make me visit them to collect my mail. I expect that’ll happen as soon as they work out the logistics.

So let’s do our bit and get behind the post boxes.

Write someone a letter. Send that birthday card instead of an email. Buy and post a gift instead of a gift card.

Let’s use it, not lose it.

Photo of Australia Post box by Chris.sherlock2 file available under on the Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal Public Domain Dedication.