I was wondering if you could help me with the answer to something I’ve been pondering this week. Do you think as we get older we’re all hardwired to become more sentimental? Or is it that we’re the generation so intent on improving, changing and transforming the world we live in, that it just seems like almost everything we experienced in our childhood is disappearing at a great rate of knots?

It’s hugely embarrassing to admit, but hand on my heart, this week I found myself suffering a huge bout of sentimentality visiting a post office. In my defence, it was the first time I’ve set foot inside one in at least a year, if not two.

But seriously, how sad is it that the mere act of posting a parcel was the highlight of my day?

Admittedly it wasn’t just posting the parcel which held such novelty, it was also the act of choosing the right sized padded bag, splurging on an overpriced pen to address it with, then almost as if it were a rite of passage that I – who had strayed from the flock – had to endure, I also had to incur the wrath of the Postmaster for “Not paying for my stationery at the shop counter first!” (Something I apparently should have known to do).

Although considering the ‘shop counter’ was only two inches away from the ‘post office counter’, separated only by a row of sweets, you would have thought it was a forgivable offence.

Looking back, if I add together the sheer overcomplication of it all, the exorbitant cost of the stationery, the grumpy postmaster, and the joys of having to list all of the items within my ‘surprise’ present on a tiny customs declaration sticker, I’d say the best word to describe the whole experience is….. ‘brilliant’!

I blame the internet for turning me into such a sentimental old fool. Online shopping has made it possible to choose, wrap and post presents to friends without ever having to lay a finger on them.

And as for letters, well even my mother has mastered the ease of instant communication via the internet (and that’s really saying something, considering she still struggles with the video recorder).

The whole experience does make me feel a little sorry for kids growing up today though. Clicking ‘send and receive’ to check for an email isn’t quite as romantic as a trip to your village post office is it?

I’d even go as far as saying I think it’s a little sad that most kids today won’t get to experience the same feeling of joy I used to get volunteering to walk to the post office to check our mailbox.

Once there I’d reach up, turn the key, and hold my breath hoping there’d be mail inside so I could then safely deliver it back to my dad’s office.

Although looking back now I can’t help but wonder if my parents did that thing where they scammed me into thinking the dullest task in the world was a lot more exciting than it really was.