*Posted by Alex Weisser*
The calendar seemed to be almost standing still, but alas, days were
passing. After what seemed like years our final pre-trip meeting had begun and
the time to leave for Poland began to inch ever closer. During our sixth and
final of the meetings we got down to the basics of what we’d need on the trip.
It was the usual, sunscreen, underwear, passport etc. But then came one of the
most anticipated moments of the meeting, the reception of our official March of
the Living backpacks and all of the paraphernalia they had inside. Included
amongst the various goodies within the knapsacks were the clothes we had
selected to purchase for our group on the trip, the tank tops, snapbacks, and
of course the quarter zips. It seemed like nothing could get our attention away
from the presents that had just been placed in front of us.
That is
until Louis Weisser, our sixth and final speaker began to present. Him being my
grandfather, one might have gotten the impression that I knew his story as told
by him. This would be incorrect, I’d only heard him tell bits and snippets
through friends and family as well as what was in his memoirs. As he spoke it
was especially enlightening to me as I was able to put faces to all of the
people he was telling us about from his memory. The aunts, the uncles, the
sisters and comrades, all of them. So to hear him personally explaining his
experiences to us was incredibly humbling for me and I’m certain for many
others.
As the Thursday of our trip nears the excitement is building and
tension is thick in the air. I cannot wait to travel with all of these great
people to such great and often somber places. The memories that we will create
and that we will invoke, will be certainly powerful and life-changing. The
clock is still forever ticking, and the hour hand draws near.
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