My grandfather told me a story once about what happened when he and my grandmother made it out of a concentration camp in Germany in world war two. I thought I would share this story as I found it quite profound when I was younger. I find I love the story even more as I gain more experience in my life, and find that it includes a lot of values I treasure.
My grandmother was taken from Ukraine and transported to a camp in Germany, as was my grandfather. My grandmother told me that she was on her way to school and was grabbed by a German and taken away. She did not see her family again for at least 30 years, sometime in the 1970’s.
Let us take a moment to process this idea. I think we often take for granted what we have around us. How often do you see your family? Can you imagine not seeing them for 30 years? I have two brothers. Even though I have a 72 hour maximum allotment of time that I can be around them before I lose my mind, the thought of not seeing them for 30 years sounds like too much for me to handle. What about you?
My grandparents met at the camp. I am not sure how long they were in the camp, but in my opinion, anyone in a place like that for more than one minute during a war is too long. My grandfather mentioned that he spent a great deal of time with an elderly woman who was sick. He would go to her bedside and care for her daily. There was a day that she told him to run for it. Run away from the camp and never look back. He asked her why, and she said she overheard from some Germans one night that the war was over and in a week’s time they were coming to kill everyone. My grandfather said they were told that since the war was over, they were being picked up and sent home. The elderly lady pleaded with my grandfather and told him it was better to run and get shot going for freedom then to wait in the camp and die there.
I agree with the old woman. I believe it is better to try and die for freedom then to live a half-hearted life. It takes grit, bravery and a strength you dig deep inside for, but isn’t it worth it? Do we not all root for the person who failed and then triumphs? Do we not all do this at some point in our own lives? Think about something you did, something you thought you could not do, or say, or try and you did it anyway. In my book, you triumphed! Instead of looking at all the failures, celebrate the wins, small or big. You deserve it. You are the hero of your own life.
My grandfather had befriended another couple at the camp. He told my grandmother and the couple what the elderly lady had told him. They all discussed what their chances were and debated whether the old lady was right or wrong. The other gentleman he knew insisted they steal two bicycles so that they could ride away faster than running on foot. My grandfather was adamant that they would not steal anything to try and get away. His value was that he would not steal. They finally agreed they would run for it in the night.
Now here is the part of the story that makes me cry. They did run for it in the middle of the night, two women and two men literally running for their lives, into a forest somewhere in Germany. He never told me where the camp was. The important part was that when they were running they heard the trucks coming with the Germans, the trucks promised to the camp prisoners to bring them home. They hid in the ditch. My grandfather enlightened me about how fast his heart was pounding, how he was holding my grandmother for dear life and how he could hear the army trucks go by on the road. Both couples lay still in the ditch for some time not knowing if any other trucks would come along. But, they heard something even more terrifying. They heard gun shots ringing out from the camp! The elderly woman was right!
My grandfather grabbed my grandmother and they ran for it. They were so scared. They had no idea if the Germans would search the forest for anyone who was running away. As they were running something wonderful happened. They discovered two bicycles leaning against a tree. As if waiting for them! What are the chances? Two bicycles that the couples could use to get away faster. No opportunities wasted, they took them.
I asked my grandfather when I was younger; what if those bicycles were someone else’s who was in forest? My grandfather had explained that there were Germans running around in the forest, and no one else was around them that they could see. The bicycles were leaning against a tree and he counted his blessings and thanked God for it and the couples rode away to freedom.
I learned a few lessons from this story when I was younger. One, do not steal. Two, be brave even when you are terrified and three, freedom counts for everyone. As I grew older, I came to realize that the Universe/God has your back no matter what, and that as long as you live by your values, you are living a good life.
Malcolm X – “Nobody can give you freedom. Nobody can give you equality or justice or anything. If you’re a man, you take it!”
