Old Chestnuts

My posts have been few and far between recently. Its not for want of topics but rather my inclination to practice grandfathering and read books again.

My eight loyal readers know that I’ve been reading the recently published full diary of Anne Frank out loud to my wife this summer. (I obviously haven’t read it every night or we would have finished it long ago)

Keeping Anne on my mind has been an antidote to too much self absorption. A couple days ago there was a news story about the chestnut tree that Anne could see from her hiding place falling over. By coincidence that night when I resumed reading the first diary entry I read mentioned the chestnut.

Anne hasn’t been far from my thoughts. Last week NPR had a story about Adolph Hitler’s signature being found on the Nuremberg laws which made Jews second class German Citizens and which were a precursor to the Holocaust.

Also a short time ago I ran across a Christian rock music video which was a peaen to Anne Frank that brought me to tears with a succession of photos of Anne and her family.

Last night I finally finished the diary and finally ran across Anne’s famous quote about still having faith in humanity despite everything. She was just a year younger than my Mother.

About the author