Anne Frank wrote on July 15, 1944, “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.”
Anne would die from typhus in a German concentration camp seven months later at the age of 15. Her sister had succumbed to the same disease a month before. The filthy, horrible conditions of the camp allowed the disease to run rampant. All of Anne’s family members perished in the German Bergen-Belsen concentration camp except for her father, Otto Frank, who later published her writings.
Extreme cruelty and immense suffering did not stop her from believing that good would ultimately conquer evil. I cannot fathom how she managed to continue writing while in hiding for two years, living in constant fear, and witnessing the Gestapo raid home after home searching for Jews to torture.
Her father published the “Diary of a Young Girl” in 1947, which has since sold 30 million copies worldwide. God provided a child with a pen, a love of words, and the ability to share messages of hope, endurance, truth, and love with the world long after her death.
When I was a child, I recall watching a newsreel in the movie theater about the Holocaust. My mother had no idea that viewing those scenes would have such a profound effect on me.
For years, the sound of sirens that resembled those used by the Gestapo brought me tears and nightmares. If I ever purely hated anyone, it was Adolf Hitler. How could someone become so cruel, and why did those in Germany allow such evil to spread?
How could anyone remain optimistic under the conditions inflicted by this insane man on so many? Why would anyone still have hope that people were fundamentally ‘good’?
Yet, today we see the rise of antisemitism, fascist movements, white nationalism, racists, and even some who show allegiance to Hitler.
Now is the time for the good within us to stand firm and for the bad to be defeated.
Russia is attacking the innocents in Ukraine, and Hamas is creating its own killing fields. People throughout the world are living in horrific conditions, desperately searching for a glimmer of hope in humanity.
Helen Keller once said, “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.” Helen Keller contracted a disease as a baby, which left her both blind and deaf.
She would eventually touch the lives of millions across many countries, promoting advocacy for people with disabilities. Helen Keller, like Anne Frank, influenced the world because they were filled with hope that was to be shared.
Those of us who live in the hills need to walk down to the valleys. We must remember to be thankful for what we have and share some of our possessions with others.
We must combat evil with kindness, empathy, and mercy. While we may not be able to eliminate charlatans, despots, or behavior reminiscent of Hitler, we must still make an effort to try.
Children are starving, and parents are dying from diseases that could be cured if medicines were available to them. In our own nation, we see families struggling to make ends meet, care for their children, and face constant worry.
There are at least 47 verses in the Bible that speak of helping those in need. Jesus said, “Sell what you have and give to those in need. This will fatten your purses in heaven! And the purses of heaven have no rips or holes in them. Your treasures there will never disappear…” Luke: 12:13
Those of us who live in the hills need to walk down to the valleys. We must remember to be thankful for what we have and share some of our possessions with others. Whether it’s through volunteering, donating clothes, food, or blankets, its essential to continuously give back.
We can become better individuals by emphasizing self-improvement rather than wealth or success. This journey relates to generosity and understanding. We can overcome the challenges posed by selfishness and self-righteousness.
It has always been said, “Money can’t buy happiness.” No, it cannot, but we think it can. The Lord could tell us 47 million times that it does not work, but for some reason, we keep trying to replace the ache in our souls with cash.
If we change this misguided belief, I am confident that our faith and love for God will lead to greater success, and the light of America will shine brighter.
We are entering the months of Thanksgiving and Giving. May our actions please not our purse, but God, the Master of the Universe. By doing so, we can honor those who never lost hope by sharing our own.
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Lynn Walker Gendusa began her writing career as a columnist for the LaGrange News. Today, her essays are featured regularly throughout Georgia and Tennessee. Her work also appears in Guidepost, USA Today, The Atlanta Journal, MSN.com, among others. Lynn has authored two books; the latest, “Southern Comfort,” was published in 2022. She can be reached at www.lynngendusa.com. For more of her inspirational stories, click here.
