In this week’s Everything King, Wendy says the recent installation in Stayner is more than just symbolic in these times of isolation
COLUMN: Wind phones dial in ‘something mysterious, mystical and magical’ – Collingwood News
There are some stories that just grab your heart and won’t let go.
A recent one that spoke to me was the unveiling of a wind phone at Eco Park in Stayner, a 30-minute drive west of Barrie.
I was not familiar with what they are or what purpose they serve, but the more I learned, the more I liked it.
A wind phone is an old-fashioned telephone, usually rotary-style, placed in a public yet quiet space where anyone grieving can symbolically connect to a loved one who has passed. You pick up the phone and just start talking.
According to mywindphone.com, the original idea was created in Japan in 2010.
“A disconnected phone booth became a place of comfort for thousands following the 2011 tsunami. Visitors are invited to pick up the receiver, dial a number and speak with someone they miss. It is a place where grief is welcomed without judgment, where love is spoken freely and where memories can breathe.”
Hospice Georgian Triangle, with support from Clearview Township, unveiled one in May at Clearview Eco Park. It’s the first in the South Georgian Bay area.
I find the timing really interesting. We are all constantly on our phones talking ad nauseum about anything and everything and yet mostly saying nothing. In most cases, there is very little communication being accomplished.
I think the pandemic made us all feel more isolated. Even though restrictions have been lifted, our self-imposed boundaries remain. We are often avoiding social interaction.
At that time, we couldn’t even traditionally say goodbye to anyone who died during those months. Many families made the decision not to have funerals. For those who are comforted by ritual, it made it very hard to get any closure.
Maybe, there were things you still needed to say. Whether that be a positive or negative discussion is up to you.
You can do it at the wind phone.
Haven’t there been a million times when you have wanted to pick up a phone and call your parents?
If I made a call, I’d use my childhood landline phone number, which I still remember — even though I don’t know my current cellphone number. Funny how memory works, isn’t it?
I have given a lot of thought about who I would call on the wind phone.
I would have to make several trips, I think, as there are so many people I miss and so much I would want to say.
We may need a bank of wind phones.
Yes, I understand it’s symbolic and we can talk to the dearly departed anytime and anywhere.
There’s just something mysterious, mystical and magical about giving our grief to the wind and letting a breeze carry it to an unknown destination. Whatever helps ease the pain is a great gift.
Depending on who you want to chat with, it might be a benefit that they can’t talk back. They can’t hang up.
I’m assuming no charge for the call.
No call waiting.
No scammers.
This is really win/win.
It may be the ultimate irony that an old-fashioned, disconnected phone may offer the truest connection.
The wind.
a gentle reminder,
that what cannot be seen,
may still be felt. — Liz Fair
