It became a symbol to me of waiting with joy and patience. There was something so calming in the process of folding that lovely piece of paper and watching it transform into a majestic crane. It gave me great pleasure. The process is what saves us!
There is a red oriental basket sitting by my front door that is full of these cranes. Every Christmas I pull out a garland of them and hang them up and we usually can put them all over a small tree too!
Sometimes my little Ruby will get one out of the basket and say, "you made these while you waited to get me in China!"
I smile and tell her, "yes!"
Perhaps someday in a time of questioning, in a time when she needs saving, she will reflect on these cranes and feel the same peace and joy. They might help her to know how present she was in our family, even before she was born and how much we yearned for and wanted her!
I love not only this mother's love for her baby, but how she developed the symbol of the crane as a physical reminder of a history of emotion, like a painting can do.
Thank you Kristi for letting me post your story!
2 comments:
I LOVE this:
the process is what saves us.
Yes. Yes. Yes.
And then the lovely cranes at the end. This is a much more beautiful story than I told - much less self-centric. The painting is not only apt and expressive of this, but glows with the writer's peace and patience.
Oh, wonderful!
My security word "rejoi."
I am a neighbor who found a beautiful little crane upon opening my mailbox several times. These cranes brought messages of hope during a time of uncertainty when I was fighting cancer. Healing hearts and a sense of peace came to both the giver and receiver of these little cranes as we stopped to pause in patience and awe of grandeur things to come.
I have been cancer free for several years, but a little origami paper crane still sits on my bathroom vanity reminding me everyday of the beautiful little joys that grace my life.
Thanks Kristi, for sharing these cranes, as well as messages of love and hope, with me. One of my many cherished moments during cancer treatments came when we placed little origami cranes that you had made in lockers where cancer patients would come to change their clothes before receiving radiation treatments. I felt a sense of excitement that energized my weak body as we contemplated the curious little smiles and feelings of hope, upon opening that locker, that would accompany someone before they stepped into the radiation room.
I love this painting of beautiful little Ru ...she will always have a special place in my heart too!
Traci
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