A common grief experience is the urge to reach for the phone to call a loved one who is no longer here. Inspired by this impulse, the “Telephone of the Wind” was first created in Japan as a way for people to speak to those they’ve lost, and it gained popularity there in the wake of a devastating tsunami.
Wind phones are unconnected, rotary phones placed in peaceful outdoor settings in nature. This concept offers a quiet, reflective space where grief can be spoken aloud, which is often a vital part of healing.
Hospice of the Piedmont is committed to finding innovative ways to support people through their journey of loss. Our Wind Phone Project is for anyone in our community who has lost someone dear, offering a place to share memories, express unspoken words, or simply say goodbye.
One bereaved daughter came across one of our wind phones after she lost her mother. Since her mom lived out of state, much of their relationship happened over the phone. The wind phone felt like a natural way for her to process grief and ‘share stories’ with her mom.
“Wind phones create a space for people to grieve out in the open instead of behind closed doors,” explains Hannah Barton, Community Navigator for Hospice of the Piedmont. Our Wind Phone initiative offers a unique complement to our community bereavement counseling and workshops, especially for more introverted grievers.
We are proud to partner with Parks and Recreation Departments across our region to bring wind phones to local parks and public spaces. Phones have already been installed at Darden Towe Park in Albemarle County and C.M. Crockett Park in Fauquier County, with the goal of placing at least one wind phone in every county we serve. Our third wind phone will be installed this fall at Pen Park in Charlottesville, with Orange and Rappahannock counties next in line.
The Wind Phone Project also creates unique volunteering opportunities for those in our community who are handy with a hammer and want to support HOP. We are partnering with woodworking students at Rockingham County Public Schools who will help to design and build wind phones. If you know of a good location for a wind phone or are interested in volunteering your woodworking skills, reach out to navigator@hopva.org.
