Freedom of speech and publication were 'givens' inaccessible to millions less than a century ago, and still restricted for many today. We are fortunate enough to live in a western country where our society is built on a total rejection of the restriction of press, opinion or literature. We should grasp this privilege with both hands and utilise it to educate and inspire ourselves and anybody else with an open mind and eager soul. So, friends, associates, and randoms; I ask you all to dedicate your next week to a book or published work (or unpublished if you have access to something adequately stimulating) and pay attention to how the it discusses life, history, culture, politics, commerce, science or people. Appreciate the knowledge in your hands, and cherish the power that it invests in you. I personally am about to finish (after 10 years of meaning to) 'Anne Frank'. This book has flipped my life around tenfold, and still isn't finished. Never before have I felt so delighted, entertained, and humoured; yet harrowed, despondent and wretched after reading something written by a thirteen year old girl. We need only check a year 8's Facebook newsfeed to validate this statement. Anne, though crestfallen and anguished amidst an unimaginable ordeal, manages to preach optimism and gratification interwoven with a childish innocence and wit beyond her years, effectively (and unknowingly) penning history defying literature - the only valuable aberration of wartime.
One of the most compelling passages of Anne's Diary is her summation of the one necessity required to live a content life: happiness.
"Riches, prestige, everything can be lost. But the happiness in your own heart can only be dimmed; it will always be there, as long as you live, to make you happy again."
The link to the 'Smart Girls' post:
