Origami Cranes

The other day when I was driving home from my little writing haven, I needed to feel the morning air on my skin and in my lungs. I feel entombed in my car sometimes, and I long to feel God’s breath against my face. Blowing my hair in every direction possible. Kissing my neck. 

I opened both front windows as far down as they would go, and I took a deep breath in—then I breathed in just a little bit more, until every tiny area of my lungs was filled with fresh oxygen. I held it in and felt it feed my blood and my brain. Slowly, slowly I exhaled every tiny bit of the newly formed carbon dioxide out the window and toward the trees. I imagined them breathing it in and thanking me. You’re welcome, I smiled. 

I was totally in my moment when I remembered the hundred or so origami cranes resting in my back window. During the 12 hour drive to Richmond and the 12 hour drive home, Anna and Sophie made cranes. Anna is trying to reach 1,000 so that she may be granted wishes by the Gods as told in Japanese legend.

I remembered the cranes in the back window because several of them had taken flight in my back seat. I told them (yes, I spoke out loud to the paper cranes 😊 ) to go ahead and fly—that’s what they were made to do. “Cranes are meant to fly”, I told them. I realized at that moment as I watched the cranes through my blowing strands of hair, flying behind my head, that I am a crane. Just like them, I’ve been made to think that my place is resting gently on a shelf, when in reality, I am meant to live, and go, and explore, and be. I was made to fly. My wings have been clipped for a very long time, but I know without a doubt that I will quickly learn again how to glide peacefully through God’s breath. I will easily feel it brush my cheeks and blow my hair as I explore this beautiful life. 

  

I smiled a knowing smile the rest of my ride home, and sat for quite a while after I turned off the ignition, taking it all in. I finally felt invigorated enough to go back into the house, which has become something of a cage to me. When I reached into the backseat to get my writing materials, there was a beautiful sky blue crane who, after his short flight in the backseat, landed gracefully next to my backpack. If the back windows had been opened, he no doubt, would be flying free into the beautiful day that matched his wings.

 Next time, all four windows will be opened.