This is an exerpt from a post I wrote on December 11, 2013 on my original blog www.ifyoucouldseewhatihear.wordpress.com.  With everything going on in the world today, today specifically, I thought it was appropriate to re-post.  Let us think about those less fortunate than us today, in all parts of the world, who just wish they were home.

This past weekend, I read a book that really made me stop and pause, and think about just how lucky I am to be warm inside, with my family around me.  How Lucky I AM – period.  That book is A Lucky Child by Thomas Buergenthal.

a-lucky-child

This morning I was outside doing some work in the back yard, filling up holes that had been dug by dogs…and it reminded me of the time I spent working as a merchandiser at Lowe’s in the garden department.  I love gardens and plants.  I love talking to people about gardening.  So I thought this would be a great job for me – active, outdoors, and since I started in January it would be brisk and keep me moving.  Yea, the day I started we had a cold snap and it froze.  Unloading and moving wet heavy plants around when it’s freezing, not cool.  This morning reminded me of that time and how miserable it was.  But that’s nothing, LITERALLY NOTHING.  Not even a drop in the bucket.  I’ve got nothing on little Tommy Buergenthal – the child – yes, CHILD – that survived  Auschwitz and Sachsenhausen concentration camps.  He survived the Auschwitz Death March.  And when I say child I mean CHILD, he was liberated from Sachsenhausen at the age of 11.

This past week whenever outside dressed in many layers – long-sleeved t-shirt, heavy jeans, sweater, scarf, heavy coat, and still freezing – even just walking from the car to the grocery store –  I have thought about Tommy.  Who walked the Auschwitz Death March while starving, in what equated to nothing more than thin pajamas, boots too big and no socks, with rags wrapped around his feet..  And I think, could I have done it?  This child who by what he describes as “luck” – his mother was told by a clairvoyant that he was “Ein Glückskind” – a Lucky Child.  She knew that her son would make it through the war – never doubting it.  Miraculously, he did make it, in that time relying solely on luck, the kindness of others, his own Continue reading “A Lucky Child” →