41 Cranes: Humility, Focus and Self Discipline

Can you see the difference between the birds on the left and the cranes on the right?
Those on the left have thick necks and tails because the maker left out a step. She hurried, assumed she didn't need the directions and allowed herself to indulge in emotional distractions. Those distractions made birds, made her late to meet friends for dinner, and lack of self discipline also got her wet because she skipped bringing along the umbrella as she planned.

No longer feeling self-congratulatory over mindfulness, she started to undo each bird and refold the neck and tail. That's why the elegant cranes on the right look a bit shop worn. The hurry was to have them ready for giving away today (or maybe next Wednesday, she needs to check with Mike). This is a new beginning for Lions Club, the swearing in of officers and the end of  Jitsuhiro Yamada's International Presidency.  His theme was this origami crane and the intentions of Dignity.Harmony.Humanity.

First things first, no re-folding all the cranes until the windows are washed. The other Julie arrives in a few minutes and I will get the supplies ready. Maybe some of the cranes will be gifted as birds today, unless I get a week's reprieve.

Crane Number 27 and Mindfulness

 I'm at 27, some days that is 5 and other days that is one, or none. Folding a thousand paper cranes always seemed like a hobby for aesthetics or monks, something nice but not very productive. And here I am, wading in. Hopeful. Surprised. There is more to it than I thought.

At first I was just following the directions, making the creases, turning the paper. When I tried without the diagrams I invariably took a wrong turn and backed up. By two dozen I had made almost every mistake possible and found myself knowing. But you still have to pay attention. The minute you let your mind wander to something that might be annoying you or something else you need to be doing, bang, you've a wing where a tail should be and you have to back up. Aha. Now I get the term "mindfulness." Multiply it by a thousand. A thousand pieces of Mindfulness.

Meet 23, 24, 25