80th ANNIVERSARy of the Liberation of Auschwitz

Most of us remember what it felt like to be 13. We worried if we were pretty, if our hair was curled just right, or if we wore the popular brand of clothing. We sometimes argued with our parents and thought they were uncool or embarrassing. We complained about having to make our bed or got upset when our mom didn’t pick us up from school on time.

Well, today I was moved to share a quote from another thirteen-year-old girl, once upon a time, in Amsterdam. What a truly extraordinary young 13-year-old she was as she lived in extraordinary times and saw things that no young teenager should ever have to see. Her quotes were so deep and thoughtful, I couldn’t pick just one.

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz. This extraordinary teenager lived and died in a concentration just as horrible, called Bergen-Belson. Here are her profound words, “Human greatness doesn’t lie in wealth or power but in character and goodness” and “I see the world being slowly transformed into a wilderness; I hear the approaching thunder that, one day, will destroy us too. I feel the suffering of millions. And yet, when I look up at the sky, I somehow feel that everything will change for the better, that this cruelty too shall end, that peace and tranquility will return once more.” – Anne Frank

We remember you, Anne, and so many others who died in concentration camps like Auschwitz and Bergen-Belson. Your spirit and your wisdom will never be forgotten. Let us pray your words, and hope that “peace and tranquility will return once more.”