Last week I met up with my friend Vanessa in San Francisco to photograph her Wishing Tree. If you are wondering what a wishing tree is, it is exactly as it sounds….a tree full of beautiful, heartfelt wishes.
Vanessa decided to create a Wishing Tree during the holidays (which was a time of year that for her and brought about a feeling of emptiness and yearning) 3 years ago after reading the book The Wishing Year by Noelle Oxenhandler. The book illuminates the beauty and art of wishing and it ignited a spark in Vanessa to create her own Wishing Tree outside her home in San Francisco. Little did Vanessa know (or maybe deep down she did) that hundreds of people would embrace this idea and hundreds of wishes would adorn her tree.
Each holiday season, the Wishing Tree has become a place for neighbors, strangers, and tourists to share dreams, wants, stories and intentions. And fortunately for me, I had the honor of photographing this amazing tree. As I captured each image, I was moved by the variety of wishes….some were for tangible things like striped pants (smile) or a new puppy but the majority were wishes for others…a sister to get well…for love for everyone….for cancer to be healed….each wish brought tears to my eyes.
While I was there, I also witnessed the power of the Wishing Tree…not just in the wishes that blew gently in the breeze…..but it’s power of connection. A young woman who was signing a lease for an apartment across the street saw Vanessa and me photographing the tree and commented on its beauty. Before long we were all chatting as if we were old friends….sharing hugs and invitations to upcoming parties. Perhaps those connections would have been made in time, but I truly believe The Wishing Tree was the magnet that brought us all together.
I could go on and on about this wonderful tree and my amazing friend Vanessa but instead I’ll share some photos……and make a wish……..
