December 1st, 2019

Susan says she is “lit up” over the candle lighting and plans to express that in a community meditation around the making of orizuru, the traditional paper crane referred to as the “Honorable Lord Crane” and “bird of happiness” in Japanese culture.

The culture says that its wings carry souls up to paradise.  Mothers who pray for the protection of the crane’s wings for their children will recite the prayer, “O flock of heavenly cranes, cover my child with your wings.”

Traditionally, it was believed that if one folded 1,000 oragami cranes, one’s wish would come true.  The cranes became associated with the international peace movement when a child dying of radiation sickness from the atomic bombing of Hiroshima decided to fold 1,000 cranes, hoping it would fulfill her wish to survive.  She never finished, but her classmates did and she was buried with a wreath of 1,000 cranes.  Now a statue of her stands in Hiroshima’s peace park, and every year thousands of wreaths of paper cranes are draped over her statue. 

Join us for Sunday Celebration @ 10:30AM