✨Small Acts, Big Impact
How Anne Frank's "Give" can change your world (and someone else's)
The Spiritual Almanac is a weekly, free email publication based on the calendar that explores spiritual practices and mindfulness for modern living.
Jun 12: Anne Frank Birth Anniversary
No one has ever become poor by giving. —Anne Frank
As we continue living in the light through June, we turn our hearts toward giving—a transformative force that can change lives in the blink of an eye.
This week, on June 12th, we mark the birthday anniversary of Anne Frank, a young woman whose life was tragically cut short but continues to inspire with her message of hope and resilience.
Hidden away with her family for two years during the Holocaust, Anne's world shrunk to the walls of the Secret Annex. Despite the constant threat of discovery and the horrors of the world outside, she clung to the belief in the good of humanity.
So, in honor of her birthday, instead of waiting for the obligatory giving task during the Thanksgiving season, here is her beautifully expressed essay, Give, found scattered on the floor when the police searched her hideaway.
Give, by Anne Frank
How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment; we can start now, start slowly changing the world!
How lovely that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straight away!
Just as with so many things, most people seek justice in quite another quarter; they grumble because they receive so little of it themselves.
Open your eyes. First make sure that you are always fair yourself!
Give of yourself, give as much as you can! And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!
If everyone were to do this and would not be as mean with a kindly word, then there would be much more justice and love in the world. Give and you shall receive, much more than you would have ever thought possible.
Give, give again and again, don't lose courage, keep it up and go on giving!
No one has ever become poor from giving! If you do this, then in a few generations no one will need to pity the beggar children any more, because they will not exist!
Waking Up to Mindfulness
When you wake up to mindfulness, you want to help others.
As you grow, a natural loving-kindness illuminates your path, guiding you to be of service. Mindfulness brings a deep-seated inclination to serve others. You feel compelled to share your talents, open your heart, and express what you can give for the good of all.
The day Mildred became a beacon of light was the day her inner conflicts disintegrated. She said, “And so I went into the second phase of my life. I began to live to give what I could, instead of to get what I could, and I entered a new and wonderful world. My life began to become meaningful....”
When you “live to give instead of living to get,” your world changes. You feel a sense of purpose and fulfillment that cannot be found in material possessions or personal achievements.
Mildred shared her ideas for giving with anyone who listened. Her Steps Toward Inner Peace (free e-book), divided into three sections, guided her through an unwavering commitment to becoming a peacemaker. She changed her name to Peace Pilgrim and walked across North America for 28 years as a living prayer for peace.
Tip: There’s no need to question how to serve others. Intuition is wise, knowing where and how to help, heal, and nurture others. We can make a positive difference by listening, trusting, and acting on its brilliance.
Trap: Examine your motivations for giving. True giving isn’t about how you feel or what people think of you. You don’t have to scheme what desiring organization or person needs your help. There’s no hard thinking.
Many people cloak giving in camouflage, handing out grain bowls to starving children, the cameras rolling. True service is quiet, no publicity, no fanfare.
When you give with pure and genuine intention, the connection between the giver and receiver explodes with love, creating a domino effect.
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And please share your thoughts about this writing. What are your thoughts about giving?
And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness! —Anne Frank
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The Spiritual Almanac is a weekly, free email publication based on the calendar that explores spiritual practices and mindfulness for modern living.
Giving and kindness, two actions that could change the world. Anne possessed such depth in her thoughts and in the delivery of her message. The heart aches for the atrocities Anne, and all in the Holocaust endured. But she lives on in her message…give.
Beautiful message , clearly delivered and giving does change your life 🙏🏻