33. Make 1000 Origami Cranes

I will write peace on your wings and you will fly all over the world. ~Sadako Sasaki

The most common response people give me when they find out making 1000 origami cranes is on my Cupcake List is "WHY?" Intrestingly enough, I'm not entirely sure. When I first included it, I knew that I wanted to learn some origami, and that folding 1000 cranes had some special significance...and it would be a specific goal, as opposed to something like 'Learn origami'.

But to try to answer the WHY question a little more thoroughly for myself, I started digging around on the internet (in between folding cranes) to find out more about the subject. I found some interesting things.

First, there is limited explanation about the significance. A few websites provide some history about origami in general(ThinkQuest) and a few more give some words on the significance of the crane (Wikipedia, Lisa Shea) which stands for for honor and loyalty. As for the magic number of 1000, folklore says that the person who makes 1000 paper cranes will be granted one wish.

The most popular story along this line is a true one entitled Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr (which needs to go on my next reading list), in which the heroine, a young girl, contracted leukemia after the bombing of Hiroshima. On her deathbed she determined to make 1000 paper cranes with a wish to live. Sadly, she did not complete the cranes prior to her death-her family & friends finished them for her. Her story became a symbol of world peace. These days, 1000 paper cranes are made and placed in temples & shrines as a prayer for peace all around the world, as well as made and given to those who are sick as a symbol of home or as a wedding gift of luck and long life for the newly married.

So does this enlighten me as to why I wanted to make 1000 origami cranes? Not really~I probably have to stick with my original explanation, lame though it may be. However, the cranes as a symbol of peace really does speak to me. Who couldn't use a little more peace in their life? The one website that I discovered that affirmed this small notion was Sandy and the 1000 Paper Cranes. Her mission is to make 1000 paper cranes, add an encouraging word to each and 'release' them into the world (ie: leave them as many places as she can for others to find and be uplifted). Then she blogs about it. How great is that!? Not to mention a great way to use some of my cranes (much to the Major's relief).

In case you are curious, or possibly inspired, here is how I learned to make a crane: (I had to stop the video a few times to get it right...)

So my real question now is what am I going to do with all of my cranes? (72 as of this writing) A little help?! Suggestions? Anyone? Anyone?