The 56th Mile of Life

Hello, my wondering readers,

I stumbled upon my own rabbit hole the other day, one that I had never heard of nor expected to be so moved by. As I was doom-scrolling through TikTok in my free hours, I stumbled across a video that piqued my interest. Have you ever heard of the concept of The Wind Phone? No? Well, sit down, my friend, put up your feet, relax your shoulders, and get ready to learn about something that provides peace, comfort, and healing.

In Japan, a Man was grieving the loss of his cousin, who had tragically passed away from cancer. That man was Itaru Sasaki, who is the original creator of the wind phone. Even after his cousin’s passing, he still felt a strong connection and grief. One day, Mr. Sasaki decided to buy an old-fashioned telephone booth and set up an old rotary phone that was never connected by any wires, and placed it in his garden. This would allow a space for Mr. Sasaki to speak to his friend and would provide him with the space for comfort and healing.

The seasons change, time moves forward, but then one day a tragedy strikes. A tsunami hits the coast of Japan, resulting in mass casualties. Mr. Sasaki was forced to stand firm once again. The storm had damaged the Wind Phone, but he managed to recover it and move to another location, and set it into its final place. Because the loss was so significant and the community was hurting, Mr. Sasaki offered his community the use of his Wind phone. This allowed many to form a connection, process, and heal in their grief.

Today, there are 443 Wind phones all over the world, and more and more are being built. You may ask yourself why one would even want to use a Wind phone? Let me ask you this! As you sit there, I want you to think about someone you loved who’s no longer with you, someone you cared for, but it hit you like a tidal wave when they passed. Is there anything you wish you could say to them? Is there anything you want to tell them about, a Marriage, a degree? Or even just to be able to sit with them one more time. That’s why it was created. A way to find closeness, to really express how much you miss and love that person.

The Wind Phone was built on good intentions, so if you ever get the courage to set out on an expedition and step between worlds, you must be respectful, open, and have good intentions. Below, I’m attaching a link to their site, please check it out and support this lovely cause!

-56(Taylor Holsten-Davis)

References

“The Original Wind Phone.” My Wind Phone: Let the Wind Take Your Words, http://www.mywindphone.com/the-original-phone-of-the-wind. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.

“The Wind Phone.” My Wind Phone: Let the Wind Take Your Words, http://www.mywindphone.com/. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.