Benjamin Zander on Words and Finality

I have one last thought, which is that it really makes a difference what we say. The words that come out of our mouth. 

 I learned this from a woman who survived Auschwitz, one of the rare survivors. She went to Auschwitz when she was 15 years old. and her brother was 8 (years old). And the parents were lost.  And she told me this. she said. 

We were in the train going into Auschwitz. And I looked down and I saw my brother's shoes were missing. And I said "why are you so stupid. can't you keep your things together for goodness sake" The way an older sister might speak to a younger brother. 


Unfortunately it was the last thing she ever said to him, because she never saw him again. He did not survive. 


And so when she came out of Auschwitz, she made a vow. She told me this. She said "I walked out of Auschwitz into life. And I made a vow. and the vow was, "I will never say anything that couldn't stand as the last thing i ever say"

-Benjamin Zander

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