Garden Faerie: Wishing trees give us all a chance to share sadness, hope

A wishing tree for anything that weighs on your heart, at the entrance to Mary Beth Doyle Park in southeast Ann Arbor.

Monica Milla | Contributor

Recent events, worldwide and closer to home, have frightened and unsettled a lot of people. I wanted to do something to help, but didn't know what. Then I read about wishing trees going up in Chicago, and I decided to put up one of my own.

Watching the recent natural disaster unfold in Japan, almost blow by blow, unsettled a lot of us. And events in Wisconsin and Michigan, as well as Libya, are also unsettling. I think a lot of us feel helpless and overwhelmed. Those who can, send money. But I kept thinking, what can I do?

Then I discovered the Chicago Botanic Garden put up wishing trees where people could write down their thoughts, condolences and wishes for the people of Japan.

I recalled I'd also seen wishing trees a few years back in downtown Chicago, where high school kids expressed hopes for their future. It must have been cathartic for people to write out their emotions, and it was healing and humbling to read such private thoughts.

So I set up a wishing tree, at the entrance to Mary Beth Doyle Park off Woodmanor Court, for anyone to express their wishes, hopes or gratitude.

Monica Milla, the Garden Faerie, is a master gardener volunteer, instructor, speaker, garden coach, and author of "Fun with Winter Seed Sowing."