When a triple disaster (earthquake, tsunami, nuclear meltdown) hit a coastal Japanese town, many people lost homes, but more importantly, family, friends. In a culture that values, “controlling ones emotions,” it can be difficult to process this type of grief.
A man set up a telephone booth with a disconnected rotary phone inside. He used it to “call” his cousin who was lost in the disaster. He would dial his cousin’s old phone number, and then tell him about his day. On the surface it sounds strange, but when we look closely, we see why the phone booth idea is so effective and has been visited by thousands of people over the past few years.
Why It Works
The need to connect, heal, share, belong… are all part of being human. Grief knows no religion or philosophy. The wind phone works because the people who use it understand their own needs and feel relieved by the action of going to the phone booth and dialing the phone. It’s simple and yet, extraordinarily complex.
What is Your Wind Phone?
The question is for myself is, how do I get comforted? What really works for me? I would have to admit two things: 1) I’m not sure what comforts me and 2) it’s hard for me to accept comfort from others, but I’m working on it.
I hope you have people: family, friends, community, to help you. I hope you find comfort in creating, resting, music, nature…whatever it is that works for you. For my part, I’m looking for my own “wind phone.”
If you would like to learn more about the wind phone in Japan watch here: The phone of the wind
Image credit: Bel-gardia.jp
Kelly
October 23, 2017This is such a lovely idea. I truely would love a wind phone to contact the people I have lost in my life.
As a small child losing my father still remains my largest pain. Imagine if at 5 years of age I had been given a wind phone.