“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.”
This quotation is by Anne Frank who, along with her family and others, went into hiding during World War II because they were Jewish. They were discovered and sent to concentration camps, and Anne was only 15 years old when she became ill and died. Her father survived and, when he returned to where they had been in hiding, he discovered her diary. Through his endeavors, Anne’s diary was published with the title The Diary of a Young Girl, which included the above quote.
I have written other posts based on Anne Frank’s words because I have been moved by the wisdom that she expressed, especially at such a young age, and also that she expressed that wisdom at a time when she and so many other women, men, and children were being persecuted and killed by Hitler’s Nazis.
In saying that “nobody need wait” Anne is referring to all of us, that all of us can help to improve our world. It’s not just certain people with certain talents, experiences, and opportunities—it’s each one of us. It’s about making thoughtful choices, giving of ourselves, interacting with others in a respectful and nonjudgmental way, and in many other ways adding to that which is positive in our world.
It’s understandable that at times we question whether what we do can make enough of a difference. But as many other wise people in addition to Anne have said, every act of kindness does make a difference. And, of course, the more of us who make those efforts, the more the positivity will grow.
So let’s not wait a single moment, to use Anne’s words, to begin doing our part to improve our world.