The Meenakshi Phone Call

As families grow and disperse across the globe, the close-knit communications and relationships of earlier generations often begin to fade. Family branches grow in different directions, and before we realize it, we lose touch with peers and even with the seniors who laid the foundation for who we are today.

Our Ramassery family is no exception.

Thankfully, we are making conscious efforts to renew and revive these connections. Our WhatsApp group has become a home base for sharing updates, memories, and conversations, and we are also using meaningful milestones to spark deeper dialogue and reconnection.

One such effort is something we now call the Meenakshi Phone Call.

“Meenakshi? Who is she?”

R.E. Meenakshi was the first daughter of our family. Due to circumstances of the time, including the absence of simple technologies like telephone, our family eventually lost touch with her and her descendants.

Thanks to the tireless efforts of some determined family members, we have recently been able to locate parts of her family again. Reconnecting with them has been both emotional and deeply fulfilling a reminder of how fragile, yet precious, family connections can be.

January 16 happens to be R.E. Meenakshi’s birthday.

A simple question with a powerful answer

This naturally leads us to an important question:

What can we do to make sure we never lose touch with another “Meenakshi” in the future?

The answer is surprisingly simple.

Make a phone call.

The lost art of calling

Today, phone calls have almost become a formality reserved for emergencies or urgent matters. We text first, wait for replies, check availability, and only then, maybe call. A sudden phone call now signals something serious.

But staying connected with family is serious. It matters.

What is a Meenakshi Phone Call?

On January 16, our Ramassery family made a small but meaningful commitment:

To reach out to one family member preferably someone we are not in frequent touch with and simply say:

“Hello. How are you doing? What’s up?”

That’s it.

No agenda. No occasion needed.

That call is what we call the Meenakshi Phone Call.

More than a greeting

Families should make Meenakshi Phone Calls every now and then. The phrase itself is a gentle trigger a reminder to pause and reconnect through real conversation.

Holiday cards and messages are wonderful, but they are passive. A phone call or even a video call allows us to hear a familiar voice, see expressions, share laughter, emotions, and everyday stories. That human interaction is irreplaceable.

That is the heart of the Meenakshi Phone Call.

And now, I must run.

“Why?” you ask?

Well… you guessed it.

I have a Meenakshi Phone Call to make. 

Written by- E.G Nadhan (Kannan) 

Organized and Edited by - Radha