One of the sad realities of our mobile society is that three or more generations of families don't often live in close proximity anymore. Most grandparents find themselves living far from their children and grandchildren.
Yearly visits are nice, of course, but it's undeniable that much is being missed.
Relationships are built on interaction. Letters, photographs and disembodied voices on the phone cannot be relied upon to create the special bonds that grandparents and their children's children develop when they live in the same town. Especially for tots who can't read and have difficulty recognizing a voice, a grandparent can have little or no meaning to them except when he or she pays a visit. We really like them. They are fun.