Mailboxes

Mailboxes are part of life and I suspect that most of us check them six days a week.

Why? Because mail is delivered six days per week and we don't want to miss anything important.

I have noticed lately though, that I am recycling more and more of the items that the USPS mail carriers so diligently deliver.

Lots of junk.

I have started stopping by the recycling bin to drop off the unwanted items before even going back inside the house.

It is amazing how a stack of mail can be reduced to two items in about 30 seconds.

I wonder what it is that triggers me to open some of the items? Some go into the bin unopened, while others at least get a peak inside before being recycled. There is something about the ones that get opened that call to me. Is it the promise that there may be something of value inside? I don't know--more it is the fear that I'm discarding something important disguised as junk mail.

Think of the waste in productivity and resources associated with all of the junk mail. It boggles my mind.

Most all of the stuff is not only unwanted it was unrequested. And, unless I take action it will continue to arrive daily in my mailbox.

I'm not sure I want to stop it--think about it. I hate empty mailboxes almost as much as I dislike ones full of junk mail.

It is perplexing. At least if there is mail in the box there is hope that something exciting or important will reside within--in addition to the periodic bills which come interspersed throughout the month.

And so, I will continue my afternoon trek to the mailbox full of the realization that most of what I receive is going to be discarded, but that there is mail in the mailbox is more important that reducing the junk.

I'm not sure that is the best answer--but it's where I am.