Recently I sent a form to a local company via US mail. Later when I checked on the document, I was told that it had arrived and was entered into the company’s system. The person with whom I spoke gave me a date for the receipt of the document that was almost two weeks after I had mailed the document. It happens that this business is within half a block from the route I take when I drive to work. I could have hand delivered the paper.

Except, I could not have hand delivered the paper because the storefront where the business is located is rarely open. The employees of the business now work from home. As the Covid pandemic continues, there is less and less incentive for the business to maintain the storefront. When I call the business, the phone is answered by a person who is in their home. That person doesn’t have much face to face contact with other employees of the business. I suspect that the reason for the delay in the processing of the paperwork has something to do with the fact that no one is actually working at the business location. I mailed the form to the address of the business. The mail was delivered to that address, but there is no person at the business every day. Someone goes by the business to check for the mail. I don’t know how it gets from employee to employee within the system. I hope that someone is able to scan the form into the computer so that multiple employees can access the form at the same time. I fear, however, that the company is actually moving internal documents by US mail between employees.

This particular form required a paper copy with signatures. I was not able to complete the form with an electronic signature and submit it over the Internet.

There is another possible explanation of the slowness of the form’s progress. There have been delays in mail delivery in our area due to a lack of postal employees. A neighboring town’s post office suspended home delivery of packages. Those wanting their packages had to pick them up from the Post Office. The reason given was a lack of employees. Our son and his family have experienced periods when they didn’t receive mail delivery for several days in a row. The Post Office stated that they didn’t have enough mail carriers to cover all of their routes.

Our neighborhood has now gone three days without mail delivery. We’ll see if mail is delivered today, if not, it will be the fourth day with no mail delivery. It isn’t just that we’ve gone these days without receiving any mail. I suppose it is possible that the advertisers have given up on us. We aren’t the only ones. None of our neighbors have received mail this week, either.

A package that the sender said should have been delivered on Monday has not yet arrived. Fortunately I do not need the contents of that package until next week, but it will be inconvenient if I don’t have it by next Monday.

We have grown to expect the United States Postal Service to be reliable. It has been remarkably good for so many years. The pandemic has stressed the service, and people have become even more dependent upon it. Our health insurance company requires us to use a mail order pharmacy. When the US Postal Service doesn’t deliver, it can have a direct effect on people’s health and well being. Not every message or item can be delivered electronically.

Because of my vocation, but also because of my personality, I still prefer doing business face to face. I prefer to shop locally in an actual store to making purchases over the Internet. When I have important business to transact, it is easier for me to do so in direct conversation with another person. I am struggling with the shift to more and more people working remotely. There are some transactions that work better when dealing with an actual person. The world continues to change and I am having to learn new ways of doing things.

A couple of weeks ago, I made an appointment to meet with a banker. I was opening a simple checking account to manage some funds that are shared with my siblings. I’ve opened dozens of checking accounts over the years. It is only since the pandemic that such a transaction required an advance appointment. I followed the bank’s procedures, however. In this case it wasn’t a big problem and I was able to make an appointment at a time that was convenient for me. I went into the bank at the appointed time and was greeted by a banker, and escorted into an office where the banker proceeded to enter information into a computer without looking at me. When I had given the information, shown my ID and completed the process, the banker informed me that I would receive an email within an hour. I needed to complete an online form with an electronic signature to open the account. When I got home from the bank, the email was in my in box. I completed the process and the checking account was opened. I have no idea why I couldn’t have simply signed a form in person. The process didn’t inspire confidence in the bank. If they have to go through such complex processes for a deposit, I wonder what will happen when we need to make a withdrawal. Actually, the account is set up and it shows up on my electronic banking, so I know I can transfer funds over the Internet. I miss the sense of having a relationship with a banker, however.

And it isn’t just the banker. I’ve never met my insurance agent face to face. I’ve spoken with people who worship over Facebook every week and have no intention of returning to in person worship. I serve on boards and committees that meet only electronically. I have memorized the passwords to four different Zoom accounts and know how to log onto three different electronic work platforms. As far as I know, there is no at home device that can do an at home skin cancer screening. So far, at least, I get to see an actual dermatologist face to face every six months. I have, however, been offered a telemedicine option for my annual wellness visit with my family physician.

The good news is that I don’t live alone. I can still walk into our son’s house down the road from ours and be greeted with a hug from a grandchild. I still go to work in an office at the church. I still make face to face visits with church members. And I still go to worship in person each Sunday. In the midst of all of the fist and elbow bumping, I still shake hands with a few of my friends when we pass the peace. I have no plans to go 100% digital.