The Significance of My Tattoo Take 2: Tiny Origami Crane

Whelp. I did it again. Just a month after getting my roman numeral 11 on my finger (read about the significance, here), I went and got another tattoo that means the world me: a tiny origami crane. Okay, now I think my tattoo collection is complete.

You may have noticed that my blog logo has always had an origami crane. It's been a symbol that has played such an intricate component in my life. So what's its significance?

The crane to many, symbolizes the bird of happiness. When Perry and I were talking about the details of our wedding, I had this crazy idea to make 100 origami cranes and string them from the alter. It would not only serve as a fun activity to do together but also would make a beautiful backdrop for our alter. As we began making them (and enlisted a few friends to help us), our appreciation for the significance of the crane grew deeper.

We learned that traditionally in Japan, a father would give his child a thousand paper cranes as a wedding gift to symbolize a thousand years of happiness and prosperity in their marriage. While we didn't have any ties to the Japanese culture, we thought that the idea of longevity expressed in such a beautiful art form would be perfect for our wedding. I absolutely loved how they turned out.

During our ceremony, the officiant (Perry's cousin) explained the significance of the crane and asked us to cut one of the cranes off and give it to the only surviving grandparent that could travel for our wedding. He explained that the crane was a token of the wisdom that she gave me throughout my childhood and the gratitude both Perry and I felt for having a marriage of nearly 65 years to look up to. It was a really a magical moment.

The cranes from our wedding now hang on our wall in the living room. I see them everyday as a reminder of the vows that I made to my husband. I also recently learned that origami cranes can be given to a new baby to bring them a long life and good luck. They are also viewed as a lucky and benevolent charm to have in your house. So if know of anyone who could use one, I encourage you to make one for them. So far, they have proven to bring us a lot of luck in love.

Crane photo by Brittany Renee & Wedding photos by Daylene Wilson

Floral Design for wedding by Ladybird Poppy