As a child, you might have had the chance at school to send a letter to yourself and learn how postal services work. There was real excitement in dropping your letter into the mailbox and waiting for its return. Receiving the very same letter you sent felt like a small miracle—it could brighten your entire day. Later, perhaps you wrote your first letter to Santa Claus or sent a postcard to a friend.

Today, we’re less accustomed to the uncertainty that comes with mail delivery. Although postal services aren’t unreliable—despite rising costs and longer delivery times—the gap between sending a traditional letter and its arrival can feel unsettling. Even delivery tracking doesn’t always soothe our worries, as obscure status updates often leave us anxious for clarity.

Living in an age where almost everything happens instantly, it’s easy to forget the many steps involved in delivering mail. We also overlook the dedication of people who still carry our letters, long after the invention of email and instant messages. Maybe it’s worth remembering: every letter that arrives is still a little miracle.