Auschwitz

On my travels I was deeply saddened to learn that while a friend mine, Chris was standing in line to enter Auschwitz that there was a group of neo-Nazis bearing their swatstikas on their arms attempting to enter the Auschwitz premises. Much to the distress of others, they were there to pay homage to the work of the Nazi party. They obviously didn't get very far and were escorted out by security. Sad but a true story.

On the other hand, here I was standing in Auschwitz, distraught and deeply distressed by the experience. Even on my way to Auschwitz, I was desperately scrambling to hold my shit together amongst the bus full of people so I would not look like a complete loser and proceed into the ugly cry. It probably wouldn't have mattered as everyone around me fell asleep on the journey there. But there I was, at the edge of my seat watching this video, gripping onto my bag, heart aching, eyes watery and immersed into the screen, learning and watching the ugly truth about Auschwitz. A purpose built facility engineered to exterminate the Jewish race on a full fledged scale. The footage is so overwhelming. I almost threw up.  No joke. And you can never truly appreciate the grandeur of Auschwitz until you have seen a birds eye view and come close to it, face to face. Oh god I was so sick.

When you come to Auschwitz, you can see infinite amounts of clothes, glasses, shoes, locks of hair, personal belongings as far as they eye can see. Where people were kept, how they were tortured and killed. If you haven't seen Schindler's List by Steven Spielberg, I would highly recommend it. It is surprisingly very accurate in terms of the detail of the Auschwitz camp, no part of that death camp was embellished nor glorified for the Hollywood screen.

Being there was easily one of the saddest moments of my life and equally I felt very lucky. Lucky to be living the life that I lead. That I could be fortunate enough to have four months to travel and to experience the world at its best and worst. To have family and friends that I adore, who love me just as much as I love them. To have my health and to even have a job! Get out.

Even though life, at times, hasn't always been too kind to me and I promise you it hasn't, life isn't so bad after all. What I understood in that moment was that, these people that were brought here, lived to die. I've always believed that life should be experienced fully with mind, body and soul. Otherwise, you are simply not living. These people had only their bodies, everything else was forcibly stripped away from them.  And I think it takes moments like these to make you realise, to appreciate and remind us, how fortunate we all really are.

They say, "Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone", so here I am giving thanks, with arms wide open to all that is good. And I wonder, what are you thankful for?

Welcome to gratitude, to giving and saying thanks.