#23 Thing to Do in Dallas with Kids

Visit the Crow Collection of Asian Art. First, it's free. Second, it's right across the street from the Nasher Sculpture Center and the Dallas Museum of Art. Third, the art is amazing.

I love the origami crane hallway! When I visited Hiroshima when I lived in Japan I saw the 1000 cranes for the first time and learned about the Japanese legend that promises "anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. The crane in Japan is one of the mystical or holy creatures (others include the dragon and the tortoise), and is said to live for a thousand years. In Japan, it is commonly said that folding 1000 paper origami cranes makes a person's wish come true. This makes them popular gifts for special friends and family." (from wikipedia)

I was truly blessed when I lived in Japan with a student's gift to me of 1000 cranes which have hung in each of my kid's bedrooms.

And all this week, Tibetan Buddhist Monks from the Drepung Loseling Monastery in Atlanta are constructing a mandala sand painting. According to the website, "During the week, millions of grains of crushed marble are painstakingly laid into place in this ancient spiritual art form to generate energies for global healing." We saw it a day after they started...


and Friday, August 26 the mandala will be dismantled to remind us of the impermanence of all that exists.