These lessons on resilience, gratitude, and hope are from The Happiest Man on Earth: The Beautiful Life of an Auschwitz Survivor by Eddie Jaku, a Holocaust survivor who was born as Abraham Salomon Jakubowicz in 1920 in Leipzig, Germany. He died in 2021 at the age of 101 in Sydney, Australia.
There’s nothing original about these lessons but they take on special significance knowing how much Eddie Jaku suffered. Now more than ever, the world needs to hear these lessons, learn from them, and take them to heart. God knows the world needs more people like Eddie Jaku.
- Gratitude is the Key to Happiness: Despite enduring unimaginable suffering, Jaku emphasizes the importance of being grateful for the little things in life. Gratitude can shift your mindset toward positivity, even in difficult circumstances.
- Hate Destroys, Love Heals: One of the central messages of the book is that hate only leads to destruction, while love and compassion can heal wounds and bring people together. Jaku advocates for choosing love over hatred.
- Resilience is a Choice: No matter how hard life becomes, you can choose to keep going. Jaku’s life shows that resilience is not just about enduring hardship but making the conscious decision to keep moving forward.
- Family and Friends are Priceless: Jaku emphasizes the importance of relationships, especially with family and friends. He believes that having people who love and support you is one of life’s greatest gifts and the key to happiness.
- Forgiveness is Liberating: Despite the atrocities he faced during the Holocaust, Jaku chose forgiveness over bitterness. Letting go of resentment allowed him to find peace and happiness later in life.
- Life is Precious: Jaku reminds readers that every day is a gift. His survival through the Holocaust taught him to never take life for granted and to cherish every moment, no matter how small.
- Kindness Goes a Long Way: Acts of kindness, no matter how small, can have a huge impact on others. Jaku emphasizes that being kind to others creates a ripple effect of positivity.
- Hope is a Powerful Tool: Even in the darkest times, holding onto hope helped Jaku survive. He believes that hope can give people the strength to persevere and find light even in the most challenging situations.
- You Can Find Joy After Pain: Jaku’s life shows that happiness is possible even after experiencing deep trauma. By focusing on the present and the joys that life can bring, anyone can heal and find happiness again.
- Life is What You Make It: The book teaches that while we cannot always control what happens to us, we can control how we respond. Jaku chose to live a life of happiness and positivity despite his painful past.
An International Educator in Vietnam 
[…] After liberation, Eddie didn’t let anger define the rest of his life. Instead, he centered his efforts on celebrating what he had and sharing this mindset with others. As he often said, “Happiness is something you choose.” This perspective challenges readers to look at their own lives in perhaps a much-needed new light. Explore the transformative power of gratitude in his story here. […]