Lately my mind has wondered, wondered not too far, just above the clouds. It has wondered to a place which most of us have heard about, a place many have forgotten as time has gone by. A place where a little girl was hiding in a small room, tucked away with her journals of wisdom.
I have a complete understanding that we are not even close in what she had to endure along side her family and friends. This is nothing - NOTHING like that. But I do find that her powerful words have become even more relevant in the past few weeks than they have ever been in many of our lives.
Today on April 22nd, 2020 she would have been 90 years, 10 months and 11 days. She is Anne Frank.
She and her family, went into hiding on July 6, 1942. They were not quarantined in their own home. She and her family remained in a stranger’s home who hid them between the walls. Due to the possibility of being discovered, they were not allowed to make sounds during the day. Any noise might subject them to being discovered and taken to a concentration camp for almost certain death. They were discovered and arrested on August 4, 1944. (To count that out, that was 761 days). Their story doesn't have a happy ending and she became a part of her heaven in February 1945. She was 15 years old.
Reading her words you can see that in spite of their poor living conditions, Anne was aware that her family's situation was better than many others.
During the two year period in hiding, Anne grew into a teenager and kept a diary of her life, surroundings, thoughts and feelings. Her outlook on life and people remained optimistic despite her circumstances. She maintained confident in human nature. What an absolutely extraordinary human being. I am grateful for her words that were left behind as they bring comfort in times like these.
I hope they inspire you and she brings joy and happiness to your day as well.
• “I’ve found that there is always some beauty left - in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.” • “It's really a wonder that I haven't dropped all my ideals, because they seem so absurd and impossible to carry out. Yet I keep them, because in spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
• “Whoever is happy will make others happy.”
• “Those who have courage and faith shall never perish in misery” • “There’s only one rule you need to remember: laugh at everything and forget everybody else!”
Annelies Marie "Anne" Frank was one of the millions of Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Years later, her father, Otto Frank visited the quarantined house. There Otto found his daughter’s diary.
We must remain optimistic about our future - despite this crazy pandemic. We are being asked to self-quarantine and socially distance ourselves to help others, our health care system and to prevent deaths. We must do it with the optimism, confidence and the spirit of Anne Frank.
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