I have always been enthralled by literature and history. Often, they walk hand-in-hand. One story that weighed on my memory from both subjects was The Diary of Anne Frank. It was more than just being old enough to have known people who fought in World War II. No, it was that I could relate to this girl. Here was someone like me, talking about the horrific things she experienced, and yet, she remained so full of hope. Despite the ugliness around her, she choose to see the beauty, and that touched me deeply. It inspired me.

I have watched many movies and documentaries about the holocaust, both in and out of school. I have visited museums and even met individuals who’ve survived its horrors as well as their descendants. It is painful to me, so I am overwhelmed with emotion trying to empathize with what these people experienced.

How cruel we can be, us civilized apes.

In today’s world, we see so much hatred and prejudice. You would think things like the holocaust would have taught us, matured us – removed the veil from our eyes and allowed us to see truth. Perhaps revisiting history, remembering the past, will help us to protect our future. Hopefully, we won’t let fear turn to evil, especially in the current crisis of our global economies and the covid pandemic. Let this day remind us of how much greater we are when we unite in humanity.

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