Never forget

[drippedonpaper]

I was thinking about all this today. Years ago, I was in Michigan and took myself to a holocaust museum there. It was good and bad. So sad. They had actual survivors who presented talks. Why not go? First one was good. Second one, I will never forget. It was an old lady. Smiling. Her story was horrible, she was hurt, everyone but her killed, no photos of her family remain etc. But she ended so hopeful. Talked about joy. It was like 20 people listening and it..I don't know how to describe. We formed an impromptu line. She hugged and spoke to each of us. Tiny short lady who lost everything. When it was my turn, I was still teary from the sadness. She hugged me and all she said was "Go. And be happy". I think about her story a lot. How she fought to survive when honestly sometimes I don't want to. And I tell myself not to squander being alive. She fought tooth and nail but wanted me to be happy? I can't throw away what she suffered for (life)

Comments

[erulissedances]

My Aunt was very much like her - old and tiny, but a powerhouse. When she was honored in Denver with a big gala, she just took it in stride and lapped it all up (it was the opera singer in her that helped her be on the stage as part of the honoring festivities, and through the various news interviews that she gave to local newscasters). I was there for that night and assisted her to mount the steps from the audience pit to the stage so that she could give a small speech. I was so proud of her then, and she in turn was proud of me - pointing me, Mom and Dad out to the audience. I miss her a great deal, even though she's been dead for decades.

- Erulisse (one L)

[mollywheezy]

When I was in college, my campus ministry hosted a display of Holocaust survivors' stories and had several survivors come to speak. I wrote about it and was published in The Jewish Voice in NOLA. I couldn't even get a copy! The editor offered me a job because he thought I was Jewish. He needed a society writer who would be invited to Bar Mitvahs and other events, so even though I wanted to, I wasn't qualified. I will never forget Fiona. She was 9 when she and her family were taken to Auschvitz. Her family was separated by gender but her mom was with her. They were put into the gas chamber and her mother was clutching her to her chest. She was found alive by the American soldiers because she had an air pocket between her mother's breasts. They got her to a foster family and she had a good life after that. She married another survivor, which was actually pretty common. I'm crying sitting here writing this.

Praying for your second surgery tomorrow! *HUGS*