I saw a post this week that immediately took me back to days of my youth. It was a quote from my favorite book. It was a true story about a teenage girl who survived extremely difficult circumstances; however, her circumstances never diminished her hope for the future. The girl was Anne Frank and her circumstance was she was a Jew living in Nazi-controlled Amsterdam.
On June 12, 1942, Anne was given a diary for her 13th birthday. She wrote her first entry, addressed to an imaginary friend named Kitty, that same day: “I hope I will be able to confide everything to you, as I have never been able to confide in anyone, and I hope you will be a great source of comfort and support.”
Within a few weeks, her sister, Margot, received an official summons to report to a Nazi work camp in Germany. The very next day, the family went into hiding in makeshift quarters created in an empty space at Mr. Frank’s company building. They were soon joined by another family. A few of Mr. Frank’s employees arranged for their hiding while providing food and sustenance during the length of their stay.
Anne spent two years in solitude, never once stepping outside the dark, damp, sequestered spaces of the attic. To pass the time, Anne wrote extensive daily entries in her diary. Though she experienced bouts of despair, her writing helped her maintain her sanity and spirits. “When I write, I can shake off all my cares,” she wrote on April 5, 1944.
On July 15, 1944, Anne wrote: “In spite of everything I still believe that people are really good at heart. I simply can’t build up my hopes on a foundation consisting of confusion, misery, and death. I see the world gradually being turned into a wilderness, I hear the ever approaching thunder, which will destroy us too, I can feel the sufferings of millions and yet, if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
After receiving a tip from an anonymous source, on August 4, 1944, Nazi SS officers stormed the secret annex arresting both families. Those arrested were immediately transferred to various concentration camps. Only Otto Frank, Anne’s father, survived the camp and returned to the annex after the war finding young Anne’s diary among family belongings. Later Mr. Frank shared Anne’s writings with the world inspiring untold future generations.
Anne’s diary inspired me to learn more about the Holocaust. It also showed me that my circumstances are never as grave as someone else’s. Anne’s ability to survive horrible circumstances while instilling hope to others is truly remarkable. For those of you who don’t think light will ever return after dark times, take heart. Just as Anne wrote: “if I look up into the heavens, I think that it will all come right, that this cruelty too will end, and that peace and tranquility will return again.”
Phillippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me.”
Tagged: hope, world war II
