OLATHE, Kan. — An Olathe man has created a phone booth where people can go and speak to loved ones who passed.
The concept of a “wind phone" comes from a Japanese practice used for processing grief.
“The phone is not connected to anything," Jeff Ratzlaff said. "People can just go in and dial the number of whoever has passed and have a one-way conversation with them."
Ratzlaff wanted to build this phone booth as a portal to help people get to the other side of grief.
The idea is that the messages said aloud in here would be symbolically delivered by the wind.
He understands first-hand carrying the weight of words left unsaid, doors left unclosed. He decided to build the phone booth in honor of his sister-in-law who passed away last year.
“It changed our entire reality,” Ratzlaff said. “My wife not knowing how to deal with it, bottling it up, I’m walking around the house and seeing self-help book, (it) just made me think of what is there that I can do for her.”
Inside the phone booth, her last name Roenz is carved out at the top. Ratzlaff hopes the structure that brought much healing for his family will help peel back the layers for thousands in the community.
“It kind of gives a sense of purpose — this building,” Ratzlaff said. “There’s always the what ifs, the shoulda, coulda, wouldas… Um, this way, you can say what you wanted to say, what you didn’t want to say, what you wish you would’ve said.”
According to experts at the Johnson County Mental Health Center, the concept of a one-way phone call — getting it all out and expecting no response — is incredible helpful and empowering for people.
“The phone booth can help us become more resilient as we express ourselves, as we share that frustration or share that sadness,” said Tim DeWeese, director at the Johnson County Mental Health Center.
In partnership with the center, City of Olathe plans to create a QR code or sign directing people to 9-8-8, a national mental health crisis line for those looking for help.
Those interested in visiting the phone booth can do so at Lake Olathe.
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