The New England Holocaust Memorial–six glass towers set atop glowing beds of embers, each one is labeled with the name of a death camp. The glass is clear. It is etched with the numbers tattooed on the arms of the people who were lost forever. It is the sheer numbers of souls that make the glass appear frosted. Etched in the wall of one chamber is this quote – “Ilse, a childhood friend of mine, once found a raspberry in the camp and carried it in her pocket all day to present to me that night in a leaf. Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one raspberry and you give it to a friend.” Gerda Weissman Klein – Holocaust Survivor

The weight of the holiday gifts in my purse suddenly grew heavy and I grabbed my sons’ hands. If I forget when I see you to hold you tight, or if we will be far away from each other this holiday season, I want to say, in this world, my friends and family are my most prized possessions and a gift to me every day. I carry you in my heart on every journey, large or small.