Origami: the ancient art of paper folding brings peace in modern-day life

I like origami, but not in the way someone likes something for a short period of time, then moves on. Instead, it has consistently kept my attention for a long time. The reason I like it so much is that I would say I’m good at it, and it’s fun to create things out of paper. I also like it a lot because I feel like it’s something I can do, but most people cannot do or don’t know how to do it. I like it because it’s one of the only things I picked up and never left off.

For example, I learned how to play the piano, but I don’t play anymore, or I learned how to draw, but I draw once a year. I still know how to do those things, but I don’t do them frequently. With origami, it’s different. I really enjoy doing it, and I feel like more people should do it, or at least learn. Maybe I’m biased because I like doing things that other people can’t, but with origami, I feel that everyone can do it, but wouldn’t put in the effort or take the time to do it.

I think more people should do origami because it feels great, at least to me, when you successfully make something after messing it up a bunch of times. It’s very relaxing to me. I feel like in times where I get upset, I always have a pack of sticky notes in my pocket, and I can just fold and keep folding and folding with no end until I feel better, and it works. Eventually, I forgot why I was even upset in the first place since I was so focused on folding.

My mom introduced me to origami with cranes, and she taught me how to make them because when she was in school, she made 1000 paper cranes after September 11th. I remember that day she taught me how to make them. I made one really good one, and never made another good one again. Even now, they always look uneven.

I learned origami because 1) it was fun, and 2) when my sister gets older, I wanted to teach her how to make stuff if she wanted to learn. I was thinking that if I don’t get the career I want, maybe I can teach people how to do origami, but I’m not sure that’s a real job. If it is, I’d probably have to get better before I actually teach people. But in the meantime, I’ll keep folding and creating because it makes me feel better and passes the time.