Well, I didn’t expect to write another diary before September when the dahlias will be in full bloom, but sometimes the best things in life happen serendipitously.
This week a West Coast friend sent me an article about a new destination in my area to explore – Gabriel’s Giving Tree Memorial and Serenity Garden. This secluded garden offers a quiet place of comfort for those grieving loved ones lost to a substance abuse disorder.
Since it’s so close by, I decided to meander on down and take a look for myself.
The site is in a beautiful location. On the grounds of The Suffolk County Environmental Center (SNY), it’s sandwiched between a protected wetland where pelagic birds nest and a wood crisscrossed with hiking trails that are regularly patrolled by white-tailed deer.
Several dedication trees and a sunken meditation space ring the garden’s perimeter, but the main attraction is a solitary canary yellow rotary phone housed in a wooden hutch. It’s a wind phone, wired to nowhere and meant to serve as a physical link to speak with the dearly departed. There’s a plaque above the phone that reads, “For people with no earthly phone number. The wind will carry your message.”
I dialed, of course, but received no reply. It was a very powerful experience, nonetheless. And I did ask him to call me back so maybe he will visit in dreams…
Wanted to share this wonderful spot for all who are grieving or struggling or just looking for gardening inspiration. May it bring you peace ☮️ and healing ❤️🩹.
Remember you are not alone. And that an outpouring from the heart will often have an outsized effect. So…
Teach Love. Live Love. Be Love.
Thanks for reading!