I learned how to make cranes out of paper last week. Some people call these peace cranes. I have probably made 50 of them so far. This really isn't like me. I don't generally like these kinds of activities. In fact, I used to think that there was some kind of disconnect between my brain and my hands. I am not crafty. So, why am I so obsessed with these little birds?
There is a Japanese legend that suggests that a person who makes 1000 paper cranes will be granted a wish. There is a famous story of a little girl who was poisoned by radiation when the bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. She tried to make 1000 cranes before she died. Since her death, the cranes have been a symbol of peace around the world.
This is my year of peace. I am trying to live according to the principles of nonviolence. It is not easy for me. I often believe that even my own reactions, thoughts and feelings are beyond my control. It is easy to feel powerless when we want to create peace. I guess that making these little cranes is something I can do. For the minute or two that it takes me to make a crane I am focused on nothing else. Each crane is like a meditation on peace. Sometimes that's all I have to give.
No comments:
Post a Comment