Wind Phones
Wind phones are not only for those of us who have experienced a loss through death. They can be a supportive way to grieve what are called shadow losses. This might be losing a relationship, a job, a dream. We connected with Allison Stillwell Young in East Nashville, Tennessee, to observe the stories that breeze through the wind phone she installed in her front yard. In this episode, our fly-on-the-wall approach immerses you in the complicated, and surprisingly sweet, rhythm of grief.
episode
GRIEF
Grief. The word itself carries weight. The loss of a loved one, a relationship, an unrealized future can be heartbreaking or bittersweet.
There are as many ways to grieve as there are people in the world. Each relationship, sacred for the people involved. Whether these relationships are joyful, essential, or challenging, the loss of connection often brings grief in its wake.
Our grief is as unique to us as the ones we’ve loved and lost. For many, when we lose the ones we love, we find ourselves asking “What do I do with this love now? Where does it go? How will I survive this grief?”
Itaru Sasaki had an inspired answer to these questions…
While there are many beautiful ways people seek connection and closure, few are as poignant as the story of the Wind Phones. Grieving the death of his cousin, Sasaki created the first Wind Phone in 2010, located in Otsuchi, Japan, as a way to cope with the loss of his cousin. He installed an old rotary phone booth in his garden, disconnected from service, where he could "speak" to his cousin, sending his words into the wind. Following the devastating 2011 tsunami, the Sasaki opened his garden to the public, where the Wind Phone became a place of solace for thousands who had lost loved ones, offering a unique way to express grief and maintain a spiritual connection with those who had passed. This simple, yet profound, concept has since inspired similar installations worldwide, providing a gentle and personal space for mourning and remembrance.
Resources
Switchboard
Follow Allison’s grief work and an online wind phone community at Switchboard.
Lynda’s Phones
Lynda's Phones is a nonprofit that funds the design, construction, installation, and maintenance of Wind Phones in the US.
My windphone
Amy Dawson started My Wind Phone after the death of her 25-year old daughter Emily died from a prolonged illness. The incredible site includes photo galleries, grief resources, and a locator tool that shows the 300+ wind phones mapped across the world.