Last week I received a note from Eddie Murai, a young man from Hawaii who heard me speak over ten years ago. In the envelope was a lovely red origami flower crane with a name, Yoshida Saori, and writing on it. He said to let him know when his letter arrived and he would share the story.
After I had opened the envelope, I emailed him to ask the meaning of the flower crane. This was his reply:
The story goes like this…
In 2017, I accompanied my son’s Japanese class field trip to Pearl Harbor. They were to join the children from the Hiroshima Jogakuin High School in folding origami cranes. In Japan, an origami crane is a symbol of peace and I think more recently, World Peace.
They gave me a lei full of these cranes to take home or to give away to someone as a gesture of peace. Their goal was to see how far they could spread the idea of world peace.
I had this idea that I could spread it much father if I gave it to specific individuals who have influenced my life for the better, and I believe you are very deserving of a crane! You keep this one for yourself. So far I have given out cranes from New York and California to Japan!
The story of Sadako is a very famous one for young Asian children and most middle schoolers in Hawaii are required to read it.
I often stare at the crane on my desk to admire how beautiful it is in size, shape, and the perfection of every fold and angle. So beautiful, yet a reminder of how brutal this world can be.
I was so deeply touched with Eddie’s personal gift but especially that these young people, whose ancestors were victims of the war, have chosen to be messengers of kindness and peace rather than harboring bitterness. Amazingly, I will be going to Hiroshima in September, and I hope I may have a chance to visit this high school to thank them.
If each one of us could do some act of kindness and peace each day, imagine how much better our world could be! Thank you, Eddie, for such a beautiful reminder.
To learn more about Barbara’s work spreading contagious enthusiasm and Kindness, go to www.barbaraglanz.com.
