Podcast Summary: “Getting To Know My Mailman”

Podcast: Can I Walk With You?
Host: Thoraya
Date: December 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In the season one finale, Thoraya takes a walk with a New York City mailman, engaging in a heartfelt conversation that explores dreams, loss, resilience, and the power of small connections. Set against the backdrop of the city's streets, the conversation showcases the everyday profundity in a seemingly ordinary life, revealing how kindness, community, and personal transformation shape us.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Simplicity and Calling of a Mailman

• Childhood Inspiration: The guest shares how the magic of mail delivery as a child—especially the stories about coming from “Santa’s place”—inspired his lifelong ambition.
  • “When I was a kid, I used to see the mailman... the mailman always delivering. And all the kids knew he came from Santa’s place. He’d tell us he came from the North Pole with Santa Pat.” (B, 00:19)
• Joy in the Job: He continues the Santa myth for local kids today.
  • “…I’m coming from the North Pole. Santa needed extra help. His elves were overworked.” (B, 00:39)

Overcoming Loneliness and Anger

• Personal Growth: The mailman candidly discusses a dramatic transformation from being "rage filled" and alone to finding increased peace and self-acceptance.
  • “I used to be this crazed rage person, rage filled person. But now I’m more at peace with who I am.” (B, 00:55)
• Advice for the Lonely: He emphasizes the importance of supportive friendships and finding people who uplift you.
  • “Find you a good group of people who will uplift you instead of people who will bring you down… give you the confidence that you need.” (B, 01:41)

Moving to New York and Loss

• New Beginnings After Loss: He reveals he moved to New York from Baltimore after the death of his mother left him feeling untethered.
  • “My mother had passed away and there was nothing left in Baltimore for me to stay for. So it was time for me to go and find a new way of life.” (B, 02:06)
• Connection with Dogs: The mailman’s affection for dogs offers moments of humor and connection during the walk.
  • “If I could, I’d put him in my little cart and carry him back to the station.” (B, 02:40)

Grieving and Cherishing Loved Ones

• Intense Grief: He discusses the spiritual and emotional aftermath of losing his mother.
  • “I used to think God was a cosmic joke because he took my mom. You know, everybody else who treat their mom like CR still have theirs.” (B, 03:14)
• Cherishing Memories: The importance of cherishing loved ones while they’re around is a central theme.
  • “If you still have your parents, cherish them while they're still on this earth. Love them while they're still here. Because once they're gone, they're gone.” (B, 03:57)
• Favorite Memory: He fondly remembers his mother’s cooking, wishing he had kept her recipes and missing the unique understanding she provided.
  • “I wish I would have kept those recipes that she had, being in the kitchen while she was cooking, because my mother was physically blind... I miss her cooking most of all.” (B, 05:26)

The Value of Friendship and Connection

• Finding New Family: After his loss, he describes how close friendships—particularly one friend who is like a sister—help him continue the practice of companionship.

  • “I now do that with my best friend that I call my sister. ...we just sit on the phone and listen to one another, breathe once in a while...” (B, 04:16)

• Affirmation from Thoraya: The host reflects on the mailman’s warmth and the power of small interactions.

  • “I truly believe that you're making the world a better place. You made my day better. I think you made me a better person.” (A, 06:09)

Last Message to the Listeners

• Call for Kindness: His closing advice urges kindness and courtesy, noting the unpredictability of life and the importance of human connection.
  • “Try to be kind to others, because you never know what may come out of everything... right now, we are living in uncertain times. So we don’t know when our next helping hand is going to come from just a random stranger off the street.” (B, 06:48)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Personal Change:

  • “I used to be this crazed rage person, rage filled person. But now I’m more at peace with who I am.” (B, 00:55)

• On the Magic of Mail:

  • “Of course I wanted to be the mailman... I’m coming from the North Pole. Santa needed extra help.” (B, 00:39)

• On Grief:

  • “I used to think God was a cosmic joke because he took my mom. You know, everybody else who treat their mom like CR still have theirs.” (B, 03:14)

• Universal Advice:

  • “If you still have your parents, cherish them while they're still on this earth. Love them while they're still here. Because once they're gone, they're gone.” (B, 03:57)

• On Kindness:

  • “Try to be kind to others, because you never know what may come out of everything... my day has been enlightened and better because I met you on the street.” (B, 06:48)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Intro & Invitation to Walk:
  • 00:01–00:19
• Becoming a Mailman & Early Dreams:
  • 00:19–00:47
• Transformation and Finding Inner Peace:
  • 00:55–01:25
• Advice on Relationship and Friendship:
  • 01:41–01:59
• Moving from Baltimore & Love of Dogs:
  • 02:02–02:48
• Reflections on Loss and Grief:
  • 03:09–03:57
• Cherished Memories of Mother:
  • 05:23–05:57
• Kindness as a Life Philosophy:
  • 06:48–07:19

Tone & Atmosphere

The episode is gentle, sincere, and reflective, balancing moments of humor (especially around dogs and mail tales) with poignant reflections on loss and healing. Thoraya listens deeply and encourages the mailman’s vulnerability, leading to a warm, deeply human exchange.

Final Message

The mailman’s story, like the city he walks, is shaped by movement, encounters, and resilience. The episode closes by reaffirming the beauty found in everyday kindness and the possibility of starting over, leaving listeners with both the ache of loss and the hope of connection.