This First Person column is the experience of Shannon Flaman, who lives in Red Deer, Alta. For more information about CBC's First Person stories, please see the FAQ.

It was a snowy Sunday in December 2022 and I was exhausted — it was my seventh straight day on the job. 

In fact, the past 18 months had been the busiest of my career as a letter carrier with Canada Post. And yet, I was grateful for my job. The pandemic had forced many people to work from home, but fortunately, my role still allowed …