This moving and very personal guest post is by my friend, Laura Espinosa, who also recorded a beautiful reading of it. I hope you enjoy it. -LaVonne
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I am not Japanese.
I am a proud Asian American woman of Chinese-Filipino descent. And it’s quite known that Japan has a very negative view of China, and vice versa. We’ve drawn blood against each other too many times.
We’ve pointed swords. And guns. And cannons. And missiles.
And more hateful, and dangerous things such as words, racial slurs. Blanketed prejudices. Condemning gazes.
Unspoken misunderstandings.
Japan occupied the Philippines during the Second World War.
I have grandparents who lived that day.
And yet… here I am. With a measly page on Tumblr. Folding 1000 paper cranes for Japan. I’m not asking for pictures of cranes. I’m not collecting them from submitters. I’m folding them, one 3-inch by 3-inch paper square at a time.
Am I mad? You ask.
Shouldn’t I have hate in my heart? Or at least indifference? Don’t I have better things to do with my time?
Yet here I am. Folding. Writing a prayer of words on each crane’s wings. Writing well wishes and hopes from all the generous people who’ve sponsored a crane. Driving out to meet people who want to donate paper to me. Collecting money by hand, everywhere I go.
Being asked to speak about the project to a room, and crying. Every. Single. Time.
I spend my nights weaving together all of the cranes to create one giant prayer string for Japan. Updating day after day every thought, every wish, letting them fly up on the internet’s massive wings, hoping that just like how Japan’s tweets are reaching the rest of the world, these prayers on these cranes will end up reaching them.
Am I mad? YES, I’ve been told that. And yes, I embrace it, because I am TIRED of being just one person, not able to do shit.
Fuck blood enemies. FUCK history.
Do you know what history I remember when I think of Japan?
I remember, “This is the country who influenced my art. This is the country who burned into me how to tell a story. And how to tell it with honor. And pride.” How to be strong when God and the Underworld are knocking on your door.
I would not be who I am today if it wasn’t for Japan.
And so I fold cranes in their honor. I shed tears for their pain. And I keep going, like they are. With my head high. And my spirit strong.
Because the one thing that I did learn from Japan, and their stories, above all the rest?
It’s that the human spirit is not something that BREAKS.
…Thank you, Japan. Stay strong. ~Love, Laura.
Laura Espinosa is a freelance copywriter and is folding 1000 cranes for Japan, following the ancient legend that anyone that folds 1000 cranes will be granted one wish. The wish that she’ll make? Well, I think everyone knows what it will be.
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Laura,
What an inspiring story. I wish I had better words to describe how much this touched me. Please know you are not alone – and the efforts of one single person is where all change starts!
Thank you for sharing this powerful piece Laura. I am not a writer, not even close, but when everything went down in Japan I had a similar outpouring and the compassion and helplessness I felt (and feel) somehow fought its way through my posting hiatus. We are all connected. There is power and purpose in art, and people like you reaffirm this for me daily. Thank you.
You are truly a great woman to speak such words. The horrors that were dealt upon China and the Philippines should not be forgotten…but perhaps we can all learn to forgive – even Japan.