When I was a preteen, I became obsessed with folding origami. I'm sure it started with a crane and then I wanted to fold everything. My parents were always very supportive of my hobbies, so I quickly acquired a collection of books and papers to spur it on. The books were like maps; they had page after page of flat diagrams representing the 3D models. I would sit and fold and refold until I could make the frog, or elephant, or whatever I was trying to make. Sometimes, I would get stuck on a step for days, the paper turning to soft mush under the many folds of my fingers. My parents couldn't totally figure out how I was doing it. They couldn't help me, there was no youtube back then, and I was really on my own with the books. It was a satisfying hobby for many years.
As I was getting ready to move this past spring, I came across my old books and paper. I gave most of the paper to my daughter to use, and I put some into my collage supplies. I gave away my books since I hadn't used them in years. In October, my parents came to visit, and my mom brought a kid's origami book for my daughter. I helped her fold a few simple forms, and then I started getting interested again myself. Doing origami is methodical enough to be relaxing; I'm sure it's similar to people enjoying crosswords, putting together puzzles, or solving sudoku. I found some books at my local library, and I've been trying to fold a form or two in the evening to wind down.
As we face another dark winter, I'm happy to have something else to look forward to. I wish everyone a happy, healthy, and magical holiday season. Find something that you look forward to doing and enjoy.