Paper Crane of Hope

My passion in life has always been to spread kindness to others, to bring joy to those who feel broken, and give hope for the downtrodden that they could live a happy and prosperous life. ​ One day I started seeing the image of a “paper crane” everywhere. I saw it on TV, in books, posters, and in my dreams. I was at a place in my life where I wanted to learn to listen to my intuition again, and I knew there was a reason why I kept seeing the image of a paper crane. Paper Cranes are a symbol of hope, happiness, healing and peace. Without hesitation, I bought myself origami paper and taught myself how to fold a paper crane. And I thought to myself, “What would

happen if I anonymously left paper cranes around the community? With little messages on their wings... What movement could I create? Would people stop for a moment and find small sparks of joy in their day? ” I started leaving paper cranes around my local community, with little messages on their wings. Everything was documented on Instagram. Sure enough, people started finding my paper cranes and DM’ing to let me know that the message on the wing was exactly what they needed to hear in that moment. I was blown away by the response, and how one small act of kindness could mean so much in a persons life. My hope is that I continue to inspire people in acts of kindness. Not only that, but for people show more self-compassion to themselves. My journey with @papercraneofhope has not only taught me about kindness, but about self-kindness, and how important it is that we fill up our own cups. I’d like to eventually turn @papercraneofhope into a social enterprise. I’m currently exploring the idea of selling fine jewellery where a % of the profits will go towards mental health charities. ​ Written by Samantha Ruckle