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Origami or the Art of Creating Meaningful Connections

In a previous post, I asked people to share how they got into origami and “how has origami contributed to your life.”

In response, my inbox overflowed with the most wonderful heartfelt responses where many of you shared with me your story about just how meaningful origami is in your life. This gives me great hope. And it reinforces what I feel is a very important value to the practice of paper folding.

If I have not yet responded to your letter directly, please know that I have read it with much appreciation!

One of the common themes I find in these stories is how the practice of origami enriches people social’s lives.

  • Origami creates meaningful memories among people.
  • Origami allows the development of special connections within people of different backgrounds, cultures, and generations.
  • Origami leads to life-long friendships.
  • Origami facilitates learning and relationships between teachers and students.

Here I share some quotes from the letters I received, which illustrate how origami is a force for connection and goodwill among people.

“My father taught origami to me and it has never disappeared from my life. When I realized that people liked my figures, I started to offer them as gifts.”

“The smiles on my student’s faces hooked me on origami.”

“Origami is an excellent tool for me to use in my classroom. It’s a way for me to look at and learn something about my students. Are they patient? Can they focus? Do they need help in developing their manual skills? The best way to find this out was by having them fold some paper.”

“My math teacher loved the farm animals I made and asked me to teach her to fold an origami bunny. She said she decorated her Christmas tree with paper bunnies.”

“Origami brings me peace and it’s a way to share joy and love”

“The people I’ve met through origami are my close friends.”

“If I see a parent with an upset child, I can get their attention and start to fold. The flapping bird never fails!”

In light of all the social challenges we face in this world, one great value of practicing and sharing origami is the ability to lift other people’s spirits and bring about some peace.

The following quote is an important message of gratitude applicable to people who practice origami.

“No matter what our particular job, especially in our world today, we are called to be ‘Tikkun Olam’ –Repairers of Creation. Thank you for whatever you do, wherever you are, to bring joy and light and hope and faith and pardon and love to your neighbor and to yourself.” ~Fred Rogers

Here is the video to fold this lovely heart garland I created based on a heart by by Ildiko Vass.

YouTube player

14 thoughts on “Origami or the Art of Creating Meaningful Connections”

  1. I made fortune tellers in 5th grade and then moved away. As a young adult, I found a tiny, 1-inch square box with lid and a tinier frog in a gift shop. I was entranced by the ability of paper to be formed to enclose space and began teaching myself to make many kinds of boxes from books. I attended the Ohio folders convention once, but I was too slow to keep up with most demonstrations. Now I continue to make boxes and other models at my own pace using books and your wonderful videos which I start and stop many times. For a while I made photos of flowers in my garden and printed them on paper placed so the flower became the top of the box. I also like to use beautiful papers from coarse handmade paper to pretty wrapping paper for boxes. I usually make a box to enclose a small token gift to celebrate birthdays or other occasions for casual friends. Enclosures may be shells, smooth stones or small origami models.

    Reply
    • Thank you Carolyn, for sharing your story and love of origami here on Origami Spirit. I’m glad that you have continued practicing your origami and did not get discouraged after attending the convention. Learning all the ins and outs of origami is a process and it looks that you have what it takes to follow that process and be patient with yourself as you make progress. Keep it going and welcome to Origami Spirit!

      Reply
  2. Your work is so valueable for people around the globe! Thank you for all your videos, ideas and lovley words!

    Reply
  3. Leila, gracias por contribuir tan positivamente en nuestras vidas. El origami es mi gran compañero, que me acompaña cuando estoy sola, me calma cuando estoy preocupada, y me hace feliz cuando nacen esas hermosas flores q, adornan mi casa.

    Reply
  4. Yp admiro tu trabajo desde hace años, el origami contribuye mucho en mi vida, me da paz.. Gracias a ti he aprendido mucho.
    Un abrazo.
    Su.

    Reply
    • Hola Susana, Muchas gracias por escribir y compartir cómo el origami contribuye a tu vida.
      Me alegra que hayas podido aprender origami con lo que encuentras aquí en Origami Spirit.

      Reply
  5. Dang! I saved that initial letter, then promptly it got buried.
    I started folding when I was 11 – about 50 years ago 😳. We were making fortune tellers on the playground. Then, a year or so later, I was at the library and while I was waiting to be picked up, I folded a fortune teller. The librarian saw me, and bright a book over to me – Robert Harbin’s “Secrets of Origami.” I had no idea what to make of it until I find the directions for the fortune teller in it. Been folding since.

    Reply
  6. Me ha encantado, esta figura de corazones entrelazados, tuve la oportunidad de participar en el webinario de FUNDAPROMAT ofrecido hoy 2 de junio de 2020. Soy panameña y, ¡qué sorpresa! cuando visité su canal de YouTube, me di cuenta que era su seguidora hace mucho tiempo. Muchas gracias por el trabajo que realiza en compartir con el mundo el arte del origami.

    Reply

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