I Asked A Holocaust Survivor, What’s The Point Of Life?
Her Answer Surprised Me
In 2017, my husband’s beloved stepfather died. Heartbroken, my husband was responsible for planning every detail of the funeral, closing up his home and clearing out endless belongings thousands of miles away. Meanwhile, at the same time I was unemployed, depressed, out of money, had no idea how we were going to keep our house, and my career had cratered.
I, too, was completely broken.
One morning, I saw my 90 year old next door neighbor on her front porch. When she was 16 in Poland, her parents were murdered by Nazis. All alone, starved and covered with lice, she was shipped off to Auschwitz, where her head was shaved, her last belongings stripped away and she was tattooed A-14821 on her left forearm. Literally escaping death multiple times, she somehow survived and went on to inspire thousands with her miraculous story. Hoping for some sort of guidance in my deep despair, I simply asked, “Sid, what’s the point of life?” Without missing a beat, she replied…
“To do good deeds.”
Then she grabbed her newspaper and walked away in silence, the way someone who understands way more than you ever will, does.
