Yom HaShoah

Tonight begins Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day.

Every year, when this day comes on the Jewish calendar, my Instagram feed fills with remembrance posts and Holocaust stories. With declarations of never again and never forget. And every year, I take a moment to remember. To think of all that was the lost - the lives, the love, the laughter, and the potential for all that might have been had 6 million of my people not been slaughtered.

Today, I’m also thinking about who I’m being and what I’m doing to honor those 6 million.

And I’m realizing that I haven’t been.

I’ve been hiding. For the last couple of months now, if I’m being honest with myself, I’ve been hiding in so many areas of my life. I haven’t been really showing up - on social media, in my business, in my relationships. 

I have all of the reasons and excuses that make so much sense. But at the end of the day, they’re just ways my brain is justifying to keep me safe in my cave.

We all do this sometimes. And it’s ok. Sometimes “hiding” is just part of the journey.

But today I’m thinking about how so many of my people were forced to hide. Physically and spiritually- generations and generations of Jews  were forced to hide to save their lives, or forced to hide who they are, where they come from or what they believe.  

They hid so that I could live. 

So that I could live openly and freely - proud of who I am, where I come from, what I believe - so that I can help change the world for the better.

So today, I’m honoring those 6 million and the generations of all of my ancestors before them - by choosing not to hide.

I’m choosing to continue to challenge myself to step out of my comfort zone and to share what I know, what I’ve learned, what I’m learning, and who I am - because I know that’s how I have the impact I’m meant to have. 

And I owe that to all those who couldn’t.

Civia Caroline