"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.
I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will be as one. "
~John Lennon


Thursday, December 4, 2014

Round Robin

For as long as I can remember, there has been a Round Robin letter.  My mother and her ten siblings stayed in touch via the Round Robin, and as some of us cousins got old enough we would add letters occasionally as well.

There were 79 of us first cousins but over the years we lost some, so now there are only 67 of us. Two cousins passed away a couple months ago after suffering horrible pain due to cancer.

While I was at my aunt's in Wisconsin in May, she showed me the Round Robin that had arrived that week, and asked if I would care to write a note to add before she sent it in the mail, so I did. Then she asked if I would like to be added to the list receiving the packet in the mail, so now I am part of the Round Robin family letter writers again.

The packet arrived here this week, so my goal is to read all the letters and write one of my own after I remove my last letter I wrote in May, and send the packet on to my uncle. I had forgotten how fun it is to see pictures and read events from aunts and uncles and cousins. And I am part of this! Amazing.

13 comments:

Hilary said...

I have never heard of this but it sounds like a lot of fun.. and something that could easily become part of the computer age.

Stickup Artist said...

What a lovely tradition! I would look forward to getting a packet of letters in the mail rather than following on Facebook...

stephen Hayes said...

How refreshing to hear that letter writing isn't as dead as I worried it was.

Ms. A said...

That is SO AWESOME! I haven't kept in touch with so many of my extended family members. I have no clue what is going on with them, or they with me. *sigh

DJan said...

My family of six siblings and our mother did this for ages, until Facebook finally replaced it. What a wonderful thing it is, though, to hold all those letters in your hand! :-)

Lawrence T. Udo-Ekpo said...

Good fun, CiCi - enjoy the experience!

CiCi said...

HIlary, I shut down my facebook account last month, just did not like it. It is interesting how most people I know do not take time to send a photo via email because they do use facebook.

Stickup Artist, there is something more personal reading a hand written or typed letter from a relative while holding the letter in my hands.

Stephen, I write to my godmother and some other close people who do not use computer. Before my mom passed away I wrote to her and she and I would send little cut out jokes or pics we'd find in magazines to each other.

Ms A, it is never too late to contact family members and get to know them better. With little effort, your life as well as theirs will be enriched.

DJan, then you know what I am talking about. Holding their letters is the next best thing to a hug. And you know how much I like a hug.

Rock Chef said...

That sounds wonderful! Great to see things like this can survive in the age of social media!

CiCi said...

Rock Chef, Right on! Things like this are special enough to hang on to for the next generations.

ShadowRun300 said...

I've never heard of this. What a wonderful idea! Wonder if I could get my family to take part. I may just have to give it a try! :)

CiCi said...

Lawrence, thanks. It was great fun reading the cousins and aunts contribution to the Round Robin. I mailed the packet to my uncle, the next in line to receive it.

ShadowRun, years ago one of my aunts suggested the family start their Round Robin, and it has been going on most of my life. Do it! Get your family connected with a Round Robin.

Brian Miller said...

that is pretty cool..i have never heard of them either but def an cool way to stay in touch...dont get too many letters these days...

CiCi said...

I even like receiving Christmas cards, to see actual writing and read every word!