Hope and Kindness

     Werner Reich who survived from a concentration camp told us the importance of hope and kindness in life.  

How the magic of kindness helped me survive the Holocaust

"How the magic of kindness helped me survive the Holocaust", Werner Reich

 

     The speaker, Werner Reich is a survivor of the Holocaust.  When he was 15 years old, he was arrested by the gestapo and put into a concentration camp.  He was there for ten months.  Then, he was shipped the Auschwitz extermination camp.  

     At the camp, he met an extremely nice gentleman called Mr.Levine.  Mr.Levine performed a card trick and taught him how to do it.  He practiced and practiced.

     He finally released from the camp when he was 17 years old.  He was 64 pounds (30kg).  He couldn't speak English, had no education, had no skills in England.  But he could do the trick.  Even though he hadn't played with an actual deck, he could do it because he practiced it over and over.  He bought a deck of cards and performed the trick.  That was the very first time actually performing the trick.  It worked beautifully, and he showed it to his friends.  

     The memory of the kind man in Auschwitz also helped him when he speaks in schools.  The trick stayed with him.  

     In the end, he told us to be kind to others who need help.  

"If you ever know somebody who needs help, if you know somebody who is scared, be kind to them.  Give them advice, give them a hug, teach them a card trick. 

Whatever you are going to do,  it's going to be hope for them. 
And If you do it at the right time, it will enter their heart, and it will be with them wherever they go, forever."

     I was impressed one peaceful memory does help someone's life greatly.  From the presentation, I could know how much the experience helped the speaker to live. 

     It was painful to listen to his stories in a concentration camp.  It would seem to be unimaginable misery.  However, his calm voice somehow brings about a warm atmosphere.  I could feel his surprise when he saw the card trick in the camp.  I felt his feelings of gratitude for Mr. Levine.  

     I learned hope is essential for us to live on.  I'd like to help people around me without hesitation.  Hope and Kindness.  I truly believe hope and kindness lead a happy life.  

 May everyone in the world has happy days :)