A new take on "Going Postal"

I was leaving a client’s home in an upscale area in Los Angeles, and I had some time on my hands in between sessions. I decided to fill it by driving around his neighborhood and exploring the tree-lined streets and attractive homes.

A couple of minutes into my drive, I came to a stop sign and saw a postal worker delivering mail, and she was doing it while smiling brightly and singing. She looked over at me, waved, and called out, “Be blessed.” I waved back and she resumed singing, continuing to the next house.

I sat for a moment, struck by how joyful this woman was. Without concern for what others may have thought of her unusual behavior, she exuded an infectiously bright and positive energy. “This woman is living her truth,” I thought.

I pulled over, feeling moved to talk with her, and asked what she was singing. She told me it was a song of worship called “You Are Awesome” by Youthful Praise. I told her I appreciated her kindness and how it made my day. “Well, thank you, my brother,” she replied, “And I gladly receive your kindness, and wish you many blessings.”

As I drove away, her warmth made me teary-eyed. To be so open, to authentically regard strangers as brothers and sisters, and to live with such gratitude must make for an immensely satisfying and happy life.

My wish for us all is to take a page out of this postal worker’s playbook—to focus on the good things in life and be thankful, to feel safe in taking down the walls we’ve built toward others and ourselves, and to live more fully from a place of loving-kindness.