The summer reading list moves into autumn
I think one of the best unexpected experiences I’ve had are those instances in which the Zen of a routine yields what I can only describe as a glimpse of a larger existence. Last year, my younger brother retired from the United States Postal Service; he had, for many years, been a rural mail carrier. I sort of knew that the charge of the rural carrier was somewhat different that the charge of mail carriers who have “city” routes (that may not be the accurate term, but it’s the one my brother used, so I’m going to go for it), but, beyond having to be mobile for the rural routes, that was pretty much the extent of my knowledge.
Somewhere along the line of the past few months, I came across a book written by someone who became a rural mail carrier during COVID. I won’t spoil the back story as it’s important within the context of the story, but I can say that (as I’ve said about myself on a regular basis) this was not the career arc that this guy, Stephen Starring Grant, had imagined for himself (and you’ll see for yourself). I really liked the book for a number of reasons, not least being my gaining a greater appreciation of my brother's career in the Postal Service, but it was such a well-told story that I had a hard time putting it down. I won’t bore you with invocations of great truths hidden within simple acts (they’re there, but I’ll let you decide which ones resonate most profoundly with you), but I will tell you that, if you’re a reader, this is one to put on your reading list as soon as possible. I would encourage you to check out Mailman: My Wild Ride Delivering the Mail in Appalachia and Finally Finding Home. You could probably find his story on the interweb (there are YouTube videos and TikToks), but I think the best way to take it all in is on the written page (even if it’s read to you).
About the Author: Steve MacArthur is a safety consultant with The Chartis Group. He brings more than 30 years of healthcare management and consulting experience to his work with hospitals, physician offices, and ambulatory care facilities across the country. He is the author of HCPro's Hospital Safety Director's Handbook and is an advisory board member for Accreditation and Quality Compliance Center. Contact Steve at stevemacsafetyspace@gmail.com.