Changing times

A little while back I received an e-mail that was very interesting to me. I'm sure many of you received it also. It was talking about some things which will disappear in our lifetime. I believe there were around nine of them. Some of them I don't really care about, but out of the nine, there were four that I hate to see go by the wayside.

One of the things the e-mail said will disappear is the post office. The reasons stated are because of e-mail, Fed Ex, and UPS. While I am very thankful for these, I still hate to see the post office gone from my life. There is just something about them coming up through the realms of time from the little prairie post office to our large modern ones of today. Plus, I just can't imagine our downtown without ours.

Speaking of UPS, I am fond of all the drivers who deliver my products and I am thankful they have good jobs. But I never see a UPS truck, and I see several each day, that I don't think of the big smile that we all encountered many years ago with our one and only UPS driver, Frank Bowman. I can remember seeing his smile before I ever saw that big brown truck. I'm sure you that know him feel the same way. I believe his smile reached all the way across the windshield of his truck. I miss him and his smile in that big brown truck and think of him every day, because, to me, he is "Mr. UPS". Frank, your smile calmed my spirits many times and it will forever be embedded in my heart and mind.

Another thing to disappear is the book. Again, today's technology is replacing it. There is something about a book that is so touching and almost human to me. Just to feel a good book is a comforting friend to me. I admit, the Kindles, Nooks, and pads loaded with good books are much easier to carry than a stack of books, but certainly not the same.

Then there is our privacy which is disappearing. Again, this is due to all of today's technology. We are being photographed, GPS'd, Googled and the Lord knows what else. I have even been told they can see us in our homes and know which room of our house we are in. Very scary if true.

The one near and dear to my heart is the small town newspaper. And, no, it is not because of Kathleen's Korner being in our local Sunday paper.

My first remembrance of a newspaper is from when I probably wasn't any more than maybe five or so. We lived in Poplar Bluff and Dad sat in a chair reading the paper. I remember lying on the floor on my tummy with my feet and legs raised. I was watching Dad read and he was moving his lips while reading. As I lay there, I spread my make believe newspaper out in front of me and began moving my lips just like Dad. I really believed I was actually reading. I never thought about it, but do you think perhaps that could have started my love of reading and of newspapers?

So many people complain that there isn't much in a small town newspaper. So what. There's not a lot that goes on in small towns. So, if we get a little bit of local news, we can leave the world news to the media, some ads that help us purchase groceries or other products we need or want, get some local social news, and even keep up with my antics, and read about some of our hometown heroes and heroines through a small town newspaper, let's do it. Plus, think of the families they support with jobs. I am very thankful for our local paper and all those who make it happen.

Yes, our lives are changing on a daily basis right in front of us. Many changes are good, but some like the ones I have pointed out make me sad. So, let's enjoy them while we have them.

Se ya next time somewhere in a korner.

kdover28@gmail.com - 573-820-2404 - www.dailystatesman.com