Give! by Anne Frank — An inspirational message for the season

[prolesunited]

Excerpting portions of this moving essay but I couldn't find it in its entirety online. It's amazing that she could have this much compassion and generosity toward others considering the persecution she was enduring.

Everyone is born equal; we will all die and shed our earthly glory. Riches, power, and fame last for only a few short years. Why do we cling so desperately to these fleeting things? Why can't people who have money more than enough for thier own needs give the rest to thier fellow human beings? Why should anyone have to have such a hard life for those few short years on earth?
<snip>

Human greatness does not lie in wealth and power, but in character and goodness. People are just people, and all people have faults and shortcoming, but all of us are born with basic goodness. If we were to start by adding to that goodness instead of sifling it, by giving poor people the feeling that they too are human beings, we wouldn't necessarily have to give money or material things, since not everyone has them to give.
<snip>

How wonderful it it that no one has to wait, but can start right now to gradually change the world! How wonderful it is that everyone, great and small, can immediately help bring about justice by giving of themselves!
<snip>

If you follow this advice, within a few generations, people will never have to feel sorry for the poor little beggar children again, because there won't be any! The world has plenty of room, riches, money, and beauty. God has created enough for each and every one of us. Let us begin dividing it more fairly!


Happy holidays!