Wishes and cranes with love

treasure box

Last week Sunday I visited HG at his home. I stood before him with the treasure box (as shown above) in my hands.

“Do you want to see what’s inside?” I said.

HG came closer, drawn to the silver and gold, the glitter that twinkled on top.

I opened the box. HG’s face brightened with a smile. Nestled inside were four colorful, paper cranes. A rainbow of blue, yellow, pink, orange, red, and green.

He caressed the beak of the crane closest to him.

“Do you know where we are sending this treasure box?”

He shook his head.

“To Japan.”

paper cranes

“Japan?” he said, excited about going to a new place and telling his friends at pre-K.

“We’re also putting wishes inside the box.”

HG raised his eyes in a wonder.

“And you will get to pick four names, who will each receive a special print created by Naoko Stoop. She’s a Japanese artist. Would you like to pick four names later?”

HG nodded. He touched another crane, careful not to crush the wings.

I searched for the right words to explain the recent tragic events. Words that would not lie but also not leave a mark of helplessness. I bent down, meeting him face-to-face. I said, “There was a big earthquake in Japan and many things were lost, even children’s homes like the one you have here. We are sending wishes to show them that we care and are praying for them.”

That evening at the dining table, after dinner had been eaten, I spread a small confetti of yellow rectangles in front of HG. His parents smiled.

“Are you ready?” I said.

HG’s face bloomed with joy. He reached over and picked a rectangle, then another until four were placed in my palm: Michael Douglas Jones, Dr. Pooja Tripathi, Anita Bondi, and Katie_9999.

“Can I pick more?” HG said.

“Sure,” I said. “That’s a good idea. In case the first four are unable to accept the gift.”

When all the names had been selected, I asked HG if he had a wish for Japan.

“That I love them,” HG said. “Yes.”

thinking of home

❤ Thank you, readers, for all your wishes of light, love, and hope for Japan. For joining us here and wrapping your arms around hope. So many ways to help:

American Red Cross ๏ Doctors Without Borders
๏ Global Giving ๏ Japan Earthquake Relief Fund ๏ Naoko Stoop’s Help Japan Project ๏ OperationSafe ๏ Faith and Courage.

Thank you for making the Journey of Hope a possible one. For the donations, large and small. It all helps as we move forward. Together.

A special thanks go out to Ken Crane for receiving our treasure box of wishes and cranes for the children of Japan, and to Naoko Stoop for donating portions of her proceeds to the American Red Cross. Thank you for showing the way with H๏Pモ.

May Japan’s strength and courage be the light in the night that brings her a new day when all that has been destroyed be remade.

In this moment for Japan, SUMMER by Joe Hisaishi. Let’s play it live, lift our hearts together with a song. To the grace and courage of Japan ❤

— Mia

Originally posted by Mia on her blog.

– Thinking of Home
– Japan: Dignity amidst destruction
– How to save people in Eastern Japan
– Thoughts and prayers for Japan
– Suffering

Tags: earthquake, hope, Japan, tsunami