Being Well

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
(Official WHO definition of Health, unchanged since 1948)

Illness doesn't make you less of what you were. You are still you.
(Tony Snow)

I'm blipping this image three days late as I have been sleeping ridiculously much. I seem to be going through a really bad patch with my chronic fatigue at the moment. Today (Thursday) I have slept for nineteen out of twenty-four hours.

The crane is traditionally a symbol of health and well-being in Japan, as it is fabled to live for a thousand years. It is therefore customary to make these origami cranes for those who are ill, or even make make many of them and thread them onto strings.

Much as I'm feeling sorry for myself at the moment, I have many friends who have worse health problems. Some are going through tough cancer treatments, having complications from surgery, or suffering extreme pain. So I'd like to dedicate this blip to them all, especially Karen, Kate, Chris, David and Pat, along with my love and prayers for recovery. Hope you are all feeling good very soon xxx

I was taught how to make these cranes by a Japanese business associate of my Dad's when I was about eleven or twelve. If you want to have a go you can find fairly clear instructions here. You can use pretty much any paper, but thinner paper is easier to start with. It makes following instructions easier if the paper is different on the front and back. It can be a good way to use up scraps of old gift wrap.