Have you ever dreamed about sending a letter to yourself or your friends in the future?While express mail represents efficiency and speed and is prevalent in China,there is another type of mail emerging as a new business:"future mail."
"The letter should be delivered next `Mother`s Day` and not a day earlier!" Lin Xiaofan,a senior high school student in Hefei,instructs one of the companies offering the service.Lin Xiaofan wrote the letter to her mother in advance to express her love to her mother for next Mother’s Day.
"Offering this service makes people slow down and let them understand the meaning of `time` in another way," said Zheng Zhimin,manager at a "future mail" company in Hefei.Zheng thinks "future mail" letters are "reminders of and catalysts for affection,friendship and love."
Feng Xiao,a youth who feels pressure despite of some achievement in her career,decided to write a letter to herself on her 25th birthday and have it delivered five years later on her 30th birthday through a "future mail".
"I expressed my thoughts about my current life and my expectations for the future to encourage myself to face up to the challenges of my life with courage," Feng said.
While "future mail" is gaining popularity,some are concerned about what happens if the postal address of the recipient changes or if the company goes broke before letters are delivered.
Zheng said customers are required to complete an acceptance form and make an assessment so they can be compensated if their letters or goods are lost or damaged.
"I won`t be too disappointed even if I cannot receive my letters,because for me what is more important are the feelings when I write the letter," said Zhu Min,who works for a foreign company in Shanghai.
"Most people put their hopes and wishes in the letter so they can experience the connection between the past and the present while they receive the letter.It can help people reunderstand the meaning of `time`," said Wang Kaiyu,a sociologist in Anhui Province.
You may receive a "future mail" that was posted much （ ）than you expected
A ,faster B,nearer C,earlier