I cannot believe I forgot to post about this on Friday!   

Saturday, June 12 was Anne Frank’s birthday, the little girl, who on her 13th birthday received a diary from her father, was born in 1929.  Had she lived, Anne would be 81.  She would still be young enough to be enjoying life – visiting family and friends, traveling, lecturing – living.    

She would not be that old – her short life was not lived that long ago.   

Even the style of her red and white diary does not look that out-dated.   

Anne’s youthful, simple, heartfelt words have touched millions of people.    

Words do that – the spoken ones, for better or for worst, the written words, for generations to see.     

What I meant to say on Friday, is I really think the value of words, including those of young children, can never be underestimated.    

Perhaps during the next year, you could buy an old-fashioned journal for your daughter, son, niece, nephew, granddaughter, grandson, or the kid next door, or the one you babysit for. Perhaps you can sit with them and tell them you value who they are and what they have to say. Perhaps, if they are old enough, you can tell them about Anne, and the gift her father gave her.   

The process of writing can change their lives, and maybe ours.   

Here are some links about Anne that I found interesting:    

The only film of Anne.   

Miep Gies, Mr. Frank’s office assistant and one of the brave people, who helped hide Anne’s family, died this January, she was 100.  I really did not know much about Ms. Gies, this link shares a bit about her: I loved it.   

The book, in case, somehow, you missed it.  

Happy Belated Birthday, Anne.