This month’s book was a short but emotionally fulfilling tale of a Christian family from Holland who led one of the biggest Jewish underground hiding system in Europe. The book is called The Hiding Place and it’s by Corrie Ten Boom.
Such a sweet and gentle family! They decided to undertake this very dangerous operation to hide Jews during WWII. Â And in the end they were captured andy many of them sent to concentration camps; specifically Ravensbruck, the camp for women.
I was also reading at the same time, Rose Under Fire by Elizibeth Wein, which discusses the horrific conditions of Ravensbruck and I was horrified even more.
Just when you think you can’t dislike people any more, read The Hiding Place. Â You will be completely and utterly disgusted by the depth of the depravity shown to these innocent human beings during the war. Â What’s even more unsettling is that Corrie, thanks to her very strong faith, offers these people forgiveness!
She’s truly amazing.  It’s a brief and powerful read. I often wonder what part I would play if faced with some kind of question of conscience like this  and I hope I would do the right thing.  The very best thing Ten Boom says in her book is that she offers them forgiveness because it is good for both of them. I’m paraphrasing but what she’s saying is that forgiveness is good for the person who offers it so you don’t have to hold on to ugly horrible feelings.  And I couldn’t agree more. I always told my kids to try to forgive; it doesn’t mean that the offense didn’t happen, it just means that you don’t have to carry that anger and hate around anymore. And that hate and anger make you ugly. And who has time to be ugly? And it takes a lot of energy to try to remember why you’re mad at someone.
If you get a moment, Google Ravensbruck, part of the Holocaust memorial site, I think, Â and take a look at some of the stories and history of the people who went through there. It’s mind boggling.