Each year the local organization SAHELI has a fundraiser, calling for 1000 cranes for peace. Every origami folded paper crane (at $10 a piece) bears the name of the donor. Shanti Foundation’s cranes were among them. Having 1000 or more origami cranes calls for creativity in exhibiting them. This year they were bunched together in a few white and purple balls, that can be seen on the upper floor of the Austin Children’s Museum.

At first I was a bit disappointed. It takes about ten folds to create each crane, but in the ball they are no longer recognizable. The longer I think about it, though, there is a strong symbolism in these balls. While there are many small and large peace efforts going on in the world at this time, we are not aware of most of them, unless we are personally involved. When they come together, they may not stand out individually, but together they shine like a bright light. The “crane balls” make a strong impression, not as cranes, but as a unique composition of peace art. Individual cranes cannot move in all directions, bu tare held together at the center. Similarly, all our peace efforts become more powerful when we join around a common center.

SAHELI offers help to victims of domestic violence and abuse within the South Asian community (www.saheli-austin.org).