As we move into the heart of the holiday season, I’ve been reflecting on some of the moments that have meant the most to me this year. One of the most meaningful and unexpected moments happened recently during a visit to friends in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It was one of those unforgettable experiences that remind me why I continue sharing my parents’ story of survival, love, and triumph.
These friends once worked at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where the atomic bomb was developed. They were very excited to take my husband and me to the Bradbury Science Museum, the Lab’s official museum. The museum offers visitors a powerful look at the Lab’s beginnings during the Manhattan Project and how its work continues to support global security today.
As we stood in front of a life‑size replica of the Nagasaki bomb, I overheard two women discussing it. Without thinking, I turned to them and said, “You see this bomb here? It saved my father’s life.” Their jaws dropped.
I explained that while my father was a prisoner of war in Japan, my mother was fighting for her life in Auschwitz. Their eyes widened.
I told them I had written a book about my parents' amazing story calledMeant to Be, and they asked how they could get a copy. I handed them my business card, thinking that would be the end of it. But it wasn’t.
They then asked if I was one of the speakers that night at the historic Fuller Lodge. Fuller Lodge is the 1928 log building that served as a central gathering place for scientists, families, and visiting personnel during the Manhattan Project, including Oppenheimer. The Manhattan Project was the secret wartime effort that brought scientists to Los Alamos to develop the first atomic bombs. I’d seen the filmOppenheimer, but had forgotten that several scenes were filmed at Fuller Lodge, which we were told was filled with camera crews during production. I had no idea there was a speaker series held there.
I stepped inside Fuller Lodge, imagining what an honor it would be to speak as part of their speaker series in the very place where Oppenheimer and the other scientists gathered who developed the bombs. Then, through a series of truly “meant to be” events, I was introduced to the Director of the Los Alamos Historical Society, which runs the Los Alamos History Museum as well as the speaker series. When he learned that I am the daughter of an atomic bomb survivor and a Holocaust survivor, he championed getting my book added to the museum’s gift shop, and getting me booked to speak there in September 2026.
SeeingMeant to Beon the shelf at Los Alamos was a profound, full‑circle moment. It honors my father’s side of my parents’ story in the very place where the bomb that saved his life was developed. And it allows me to continue sharing my parents’ extraordinary story with new audiences.
If your organization, community, or workplace is looking for a speaker who brings history to life through resilience, hope, and human connection, I’d be honored to share my parents’ story with your group.Feel free to reach out.I’d love to explore how we can create a meaningful experience together.
If you’ve heard me speak or read one of my previous books, you know I love sharing true stories that inspire people with hope and positivity.
Today, I’m inviting you into a new kind of adventure—one that’s a little more theatrical, a little more light-hearted, and a lot more magical.
ANNOUNCING...My new book is in the works!
It’s called So I Married a Magician: A Hilarious and Heartfelt Memoir of Magic, Mayhem, and Mishaps
It’s the true story of life behind the curtains with Comedy Magician Elliott Smith—my husband, creative partner, and co-conspirator in the magic of life. Some of you may even know him or seen him perform.
In a world that can feel dark and overwhelming these days, this fun-filled memoir is my way of bringing light, love, and laughter to the world — and joy back into our hearts and conversations. As a cancer survivor turned author, speaker, and coach, I’m honored to share this story with you.
I’ve launched a crowdfunding campaign to help bring this book to life, and I’d be honored if you’d take a look, share it, or support it in any way that feels right.
I first launched this campaign quietly with close family and friends, and now I’m expanding it to include you—my wider circle of readers, supporters, and kindred spirits. To those who’ve already supported the campaign, I thank you whole-heartedly for being among the first to support my mission to bring light, love and laughter to the world!
Your support helps me share this story faster — and reach those who need its light the most.
Every contribution makes a difference, regardless of how big or small. I’m so grateful to welcome you into the growing community of supporters behind So I Married a Magician.
Thank you for being part of my journey. Your support—past and present—means the world. I can’t wait to share this new chapter with you.
October 17, 2025
marks a powerful personal milestone: 30 years cancer-free since completing my
final chemotherapy treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Diagnosed at 29 with a
tumor in my neck, I endured nine months of grueling treatment and the emotional
upheaval that followed.
It all started
with a persistent pain and swelling in my neck that just wouldn’t go
away. I knew something was wrong. An ultrasound revealed a
tumor, and during the biopsy surgery to remove it, they discovered it was much
larger and deeper than expected — so deep, in fact, that it was dangerously
pressing against the main artery to my brain.
I still remember
the following weeks of anxiously waiting on pins and needles for the results of
the biopsy. And then the day came when the surgeon said to me three of the
scariest words to come out of a doctor’s mouth — “You have cancer”.
The fear
and shock was immediate and overwhelming. What followed was months of physical
pain and discomfort from the chemotherapy treatment with all its nasty side
effects. But the hardest part wasn’t just the treatments — it was the emotional
upheaval that came after.
People often talk
about “getting back to normal,” but for cancer survivors, it’s not that simple.
There’s no going back — only forward.
It's not about getting back to normal,
it's about finding your new normal and so you're left to redefine what your new
normal looks like. You carry the fear of recurrence. You navigate a new
relationship with your body, your health, and your future. And you ask
yourself: How do I want to live now? How do I thrive with this second chance
I’ve been given?
To mark this
milestone, I’m sharing a complimentary guideI created for women cancer
survivors. It’s filled with gentle strategies and insights to help you
reconnect with your strength, restore your wellness, and rediscover joy.
Whether you or
someone you love is newly out of treatment or years into survivorship, this
guide is a meaningful first step.
And if the guide
resonates with you, you’ll be invited to explore a self-paced online
course I created for women cancer survivors, especially those
navigating life after treatment while balancing professional and family
responsibilities. It’s filled with tools for healing, health, hope, and
empowerment.
I created it for
women who want to go deeper — emotionally, spiritually, and practically — and
who are ready to move from surviving to thriving, embracing life fully after
cancer.
If this message is meaningful for you, please share it with others who could benefit.
Ask and ye shall receive! When I speak at live and virtual events, I’m often asked if my book,Meant to Be,is available as an eBook. Until recently, it was only available on Amazon Kindle, but I’m excited to announce that due to popular demand,Meant to Beis now also available in digital format on Kobo!
Check it out today and enjoy reading my award-winning book on your preferred e-reader!
I recently travelled to the Netherlands where I was invited to give a series of four school presentations to hundreds of students age 14 – 17 to tell the story of my parents’ remarkable survival, love and triumph over evil. I shared how my parents experienced and witnessed the worst of humanity first-hand during World War II and were able to still find love and joy in the aftermath despite the trauma of their past.
My mother, Sonja Pagrach, survived the concentration camps of Nazi Europe. First, she was taken at 15 to Camp Vught in the Netherlands, the only SS concentration camp outside Nazi Germany during the Second World War, where she was imprisoned for a year before being deported to Auschwitz. She faced death in the gas chambers three times and survived. My father, John Franken, was 18 and in the Dutch Navy Air Force when he was captured at sea by the Japanese to become a prisoner of war. He survived the Nagasaki atomic bomb.
With rising teen depression and suicide, teens need to hear this story, now more than ever. They need to know that you can go through terrible things in life, but you can still find love and joy in the aftermath. My parents are incredible role models for all of us and especially for young people.
An important message for students I convey with this story is that at the end of the Second World War a global vow was taken by the United Nations that said 'never again'. These teens are the future, the next generation. They need to know that they can do things differently. They don't have to let things like this happen again and again. It all starts with them, and I want to teach them that they have the power of making their own choices in their thoughts, beliefs and actions.
My book is featured in the collections at the prestigious Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, National Museum of American Jewish Military History in Washington. It is also available for purchase on site at the museum store of the Florida Holocaust Museum of St. Petersburgin Florida and the Camp Vught National Memorial in the Netherlands. It is also available on my website, Amazon and other major online book retailers.
The book is being made into a feature film currently in development.
The A List: 9 Guiding
Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living, is a self-help book I wrote
and first published back in 2006. As a proud cancer survivor who
also overcame my food and weight issues, I am very proud of this book as it has
helped thousands of others change their lives one bite at a time for a
healthier body and happier life. After many requests, I have FINALLY published it as a
Kindle eBook now available on Amazon.com for $7.99. If you buy the book between
February 19 – 25, 2023, you can take advantage of the launch promo price at
only $3.99.
Why and how did I come
to writing this book? Here's the story...
When I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma
at 29, I was in shock. How could I have cancer? I was only 29. I was full of
plans and hopes and dreams for my future so battling cancer was not exactly part of the
plan. The good news is that after 9 months of chemotherapy and keeping a positive attitude, I beat it. Yup, I
beat my cancer and 27 years later, I remain cancer-free.
At 39, I got on the scale to discover that I
was at my heaviest weight. How could I have let myself put on all those
unwanted pounds? Maybe I was subconsciously thinking, "Hey, I just beat cancer, I deserve that piece of chocolate cake. I deserve to celebrate just having survived it." Who knows, right? I can't say for sure how I allowed it to happen, but the bottom line was that I had already lost my health to cancer. So, now afraid of putting
myself at risk of getting cancer again, or heart disease, diabetes, high blood
pressure and/or any other diet and weight-related diseases, I chose to fight
back once again, only this time to win my battles with food, weight, and
lifestyle obstacles once and for all. I won that battle too. How? The answer is
what makes up the life-changing principles that I discovered through my weight
loss journey to a healthier body and happier life that I share in my
internationally acclaimed book, The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for
Healthy Eating and Positive Living, now available as a Kindle eBook.
In The A List book, I offer
practical tools, personal insights and positive inspiration to help people
BREAK FREE from self-sabotaging eating, thinking and lifestyle habits; REACH,
MAINTAIN and ENJOY a healthy weight and positive lifestyle; TRANSORM their
relationship with food for results to last a lifetime; MINIMIZE weight and
lifestyle related health risks such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood
pressure, some forms of cancer and more; REDUCE menopausal symptoms; and
INCREASE energy and sense of well-being. The book outlines the my 9 guiding
principles for healthy eating and positive living each starting with the letter
"A". I explore each as a necessary ingredient for achieving greater
health, lasting weight loss and control, and enhanced quality of life.
Along with loads of practical tools and information,
I share personal insights from my own struggles with food, weight, and life
management challenges plus real life examples from my weight loss coaching
clients. With self-reflective coaching style questions, I help people
understand themselves and their relationship with food and their inner selves
in a newer, deeper and more meaningful way. This helps them relearn how to eat
properly and improve their quality of life by making healthy, balanced food and
lifestyle choices. The book also includes fast and easy healthy recipes.
Available now as a Kindle eBook on Amazon.at a special
discount promotion price in effect February 19 – 25 for only $3.99, regularly
$7.99.
So excited to make my European media debut with this article in a Dutch newspaper called 'Het Klaverblad' about my speaking to over 300 students in the Netherlands. I told the students the story of my parents remarkable survival, love and triumph over tragedy as Holocaust and atomic bomb survivors and all the positive life lessons we can learn from them to better ourselves and help make our world a better place.
It was especially meaningful for these students since my parents were also Dutch. For example, when I showed the video of my dad reading his love letters to my mom in Dutch, these kids could understand his every word and didn't need to read the subtitles. The students loved it.
I look forward to speaking to more students in the Netherlands, North America and around the world!! If you know anyone in the school system where you live, please contact me and I will reach out to them. The original Dutch article is available HERE (page 5).
Below is the English translation with a few slight modifications.
Daughter of Kamp Vucht survivor spoke at Maurick College in the Netherlands
Students in the Netherlands listening to Roslyn Franken tell her parents' life story as told in her book, Meant to Be.
Roslyn Franken is the proud daughter of John and Sonja Franken, two unlikely survivors of World War II. Sonja, née Schoontje Pagrach, was taken by the Nazis at 15 from her home in Rijssen, a city in the Dutch province of Overijssel, to Kamp Vught, the first of 11 Holocaust concentration camps in Europe where she was held captive located in the city of Vught and the only SS concentration camp outside of Germany in Western Europe. John was born in the former Dutch East Indies and shortly after being drafted into the Dutch Navy Air Force at 18 was captured by the Japanese to become a prisoner of war. He was working as a slave laborer near Nagaski when the Americans dropped the atomic bomb there. He, too, survived.
How did these two young Jewish teens survive the horrors of their captivity continents apart to eventually meet, marry and make a beautiful life together in Montreal, Canada after all the trauma and suffering of their past? Roslyn recently answered all of these questions and more in a series of three virtual presentations she delivered to over 300 students at Maurick College in Vught, the city where Sonja was first held captive.
Roslyn says, “Young people learn about the Holocaust and World War II in school from history books, but as the daughter of survivors, I feel it is important for youths everywhere to hear about the real-life experiences of real people like my parents and not just statistics from a textbook. As my mother was their age when she was taken to Kamp Vught in the city where they live, it makes it even more relatable, which helps them develop a greater understanding and sense of empathy and compassion for what my parents went through.”
In these times of growing division and adversity, and increasing rates of teen depression and suicide, youths everywhere need to know Roslyn Franken’s story of her parents' amazing survival over suffering, humanity over hate, and triumph over tragedy, NOW more than ever.
Sebastiaan van Oers, History Teacher at Maurick College, said, "The story of Roslyn and her parents came to us through her relative whose children attend Maurick College. In the context of living history and an increasingly international world, we thought it would be a good idea to have Roslyn give lectures in English at our school. The fact that her mother was in Kamp Vught and was then the age of the students who attended the lectures makes it very easy for the students to connect to the story. Roslyn's story is full of situations that students can identify with as they are real-life stories. Our students were impressed by the story and listened with fascination. The lectures were a unique experience for our students and we hope next year to bring Roslyn to Vught to give her presentation in person."
WOW!! Thank you so much to Community Reporter Megan Hussey and the Hernando Sun newspaper in Tampa Bay Florida for the awesome article about me and my husband, Elliott Smith entitled 'Reader's Choice Couple'.
It all started back in May of 2022 when both my husband and I were delighted to find out that we were both nominated for the Hernando Sun Newspaper Reader’s Choice Awards. I was nominated for Best Author (www.RoslynFranken.com) and my husband for Best Entertainer (www.SeeTheMagic.com).
There were 16 categories total with 115 sub-categories including “Author” and “Entertainer”. There were 738,911 votes in total across all the categories both national and international so needless to say, Elliott and I were both thrilled to hear that we won. When we realized that we were the only married couple to be awarded GOLD winner in our respective categories, we were even that much more thrilled, as you can imagine. We are very grateful to all the people who voted for us.
It's a few months later and here we are enjoying the thrill again with this wonderful article about me and my magical husband Elliott as the Reader's Choice Couple.
Life has sure been busy. Busy doing what? Busy getting my MEANT TO BE book and presentation into schools. Why schools? Because in these times of growing division and adversity, and increasing rates of teen depression and suicide, and Lord knows all the school shootings, youths everywhere need to know the story of my parents' amazing survival over suffering, humanity over hate, love over loss, and triumph over tragedy NOW more than ever. I guess that's why it's been a while since I last posted here. Well, I am here now to bring you up to date and ask for your help.
The youths of today are our future so we better start paying more attention to them today. They need our help. They need our support. They need for us to educate them, empower them, and love them. Above all else, they need strong role models and to be instilled with positive values. They need to know they are important, that they matter, and that they are here for a purpose. They need to believe in themselves and their future, but alas, they are suffering.
I spoke to a school Resource Officer a little while back and asked him, "What are kids so depressed about? What is happening in their lives that is so bad that they want to kill themselves?"
Here was his reply.
"Let me give you a perfect example, Roslyn. I had a 15-year old girl come to me the other day who had slit her wrists wanting to die. I asked her what happened. She told me that her boyfriend broke up with her and that was it."
I looked at him speechless. I didn't know what to say. I don't remember anyone in my high school back in the late '70s and early '80s growing up in Montreal, Canada, who ever cut their wrists wanting to commit suicide. Maybe I was just naïve and didn't know it was happening around me, but it was not something ever known or talked about and I am pretty confident it just wasn't something that kids in my school turned to as a solution to their problems.
It breaks my heart that this young girl was ready to pack it all in because her boyfriend broke up with her. Life is hard sometimes and kids need to know that this is just a fact of life. Things happen to all of us, but it is how we face our adversities and rise above them that helps us gain strength and empowers us to face the next adversity with greater strength and wisdom.
"What about all the bullying?" I asked him.
Here was his reply.
"Bullying is not like it was when we were teens. Back then a kid might be bullied at school, but then they would go home and that would be it till the next day. Now, with the internet and social media, the bullying continues 24/7. There's no relief."
"But what are they being bullied about?" I asked.
He replied, "I had a kid who posted something on his social media about his dad leaving the family. His dad left without a word and never came back. He was very sad and had nobody to talk to about it so he put it on his social media. Next thing he knew, a classmate had spotted it and put as a reply, "Well, of course your dad left you. You're so f'n ugly and stupid, if I were your dad, I would leave you too."
If that wasn't bad enough, this bully's comment sparked a flurry of hurtful comments toward this young man who they barely knew. Some of them didn't even know him at all but jumped on the bandwagon posting horrible things just for fun. How did something like this become fun? How is it that posting hurtful comments to someone clearly reaching out and in pain can possibly be fun? How is it that so many young people have no empathy or compassion?
This is why I tell my parents' story to young people. I tell my parents' story in my award-winning book (https://roslynfranken.com/about-the-book.html) and audio-visual presentation entitled, MEANT TO BE: A TRUE STORY OF MIGHT, MIRACLES AND TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT (https://roslynfranken.com/youths.html). It is the story of my mother who survived the Holocaust concentration camps in Nazi Europe and my father who survived the Nagasaki atomic bomb as a Prisoner of War in Japan.
My mother was only 15 when she was taken by the Nazis. My dad was 18 when taken prisoner by the Japanese. This makes their story so powerful and relatable for today's teenagers since my parents were their same age. I have told their story on many a school stage to thousands of teens and they LOVE it each and every time. I've had standing ovations which you can see in my latest video.
My parents are incredible role models for today's teenagers. That is why I was the first guest speaker to address the class in Parkland, Florida that was shot into by the gunman in 2018 that killed 17 people. Thanks to the support of private donations, I was able to go there and give a presentation and each student received a signed copy of my book as a gift.
I spoke there telling my parents' story to bring these kids much needed hope and inspiration. By hearing the story, the students learned that people can go through terrible things in life and still find joy in the aftermath. My parents are strong and beautiful examples of this since they are role models for what it means to triumph over tragedy. After witnessing and experiencing the worst of humanity first-hand and with not just days, but years of pain, loss and suffering at the hands of their brutal captors, my parents could have easily chosen to be bitter for the rest of their lives. My parents always chose to be better and not bitter. My parents were the kindest, most compassionate, appreciative and strongest people I have ever known. What better role models could our children have? How could I not share them with the world who needs them so badly, especially our teens?
Young people need to learn about what people like my parents went through in prior generations. It is not just about Holocaust education. My dad was not in the Holocaust. There are millions of people who suffered in WWII who were not in the Holocaust that we must also remember. Kids need to learn about the kinds of discrimination, hate, evil and bullying people like my parents experienced during World War II and what can happen if we don't stop it and start learning how to live together in this world with greater dignity, kindness and respect toward one another regardless of our differences. We need to focus on how we are all more similar than we realize. I have a wonderful story my dad shared with me that supports this point so beautifully that audiences of all ages resonate so strongly with.
All this to say that I am on a mission to speak to teens wherever possible and welcome invitations from high schools, youth organizations, youth camps, Churches and other religious youth groups, and any other ideas you may have for reaching teens. I invite you to reach out to me with any suggestions of where you think I should be speaking. Ideally I will be there in person to address the kids face to face, but failing that, with the power of Zoom and other virtual technologies, I can speak to kids anywhere in the world.
I ask you to share this post with any teachers, school principals, school counselors, school media specialists or any other school administrators you know. I ask you to share this post with any youth groups you know of. You know what? Why not share this post with your teens? They're the ones who can benefit, so let them read this and watch this video. Why not have parents watch my video with their teens and put in a request to the schools to have me speak there and get my book into their libraries and classrooms. The video is on YouTube so you can share it. Let's make it go viral. Let's get people to take notice. Young people need to read the book, experience the presentation and reach out for help when they need it. They need to help each other. I would love to sit down with a group of teens and brainstorm all kinds of projects we can do together to take the learning from the story of my book to the highest levels to help teens everywhere. If you're a teen reading this, I invite you to contact me. You can be a leader in your school and community and we can work together to make great things happen.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and watch my video. Don't forget to share it with others and help spread the word.
If you would like to made a donation to Roslyn's Student Speaking Tour, click HERE.
Donations are not tax-deductible. Donations will appear on your credit card statement under my company name, RF Productions LLC. Corporate sponsorship opportunities are also available upon request
I am very excited to announce that I can now call officially call myself an award-winning author and could not be more proud. My
book, Meant to Be: A True Story of Might, Miracles and Triumph of the Human Spirit, was honored with a GOLD award by the Nonfiction Book Awards, via
the Nonfiction Authors Association! Check out the details here: https://nonfictionauthorsassociation.com/meant-to-be/
Official NFAA Review
Roslyn Franken’s Meant to Be is inspiring. That is seen immediately from the Table of Contents as the chapter titles lay out on the page an overview of two lives in a way that takes readers’ breaths away. In the Introduction and in the pages to follow, Franken recounts the story of her parents, John and Sonja, as they live through unimaginable, nightmarish, life-threatening events with courage, bravery, and resilience. The inclusion of beautiful family photos pulls the reader into the story of these two incredible souls as they live their separate lives, then meet and begin a letter-filled courtship that changes their lives forever. Countless life lessons follow, and these eventually influence and help the author through her own challenges in later years. Franken leaves readers with a treasure trove of uplifting words of wisdom related to Power of Choice and Power of Perseverance, citing how her parents used both throughout their lives, and how she herself exercised that power in her own life. A beautiful, moving book that will touch the heart.
~ Nonfiction Authors Association Book Awards Program
So many people have amazing life stories and family histories others would love to read. There is a wonderful book inside them just waiting to be written. Are you one of these people? Do you know someone who is? Then time to get these stories onto the page and out to the world. Or, maybe it is just a personal legacy book to be shared only with family.
Either way, if you or someone you know has ever thought of writing their story, then join me for my upcoming WRITE YOUR BOOK Workshop. First, I will get you inspired by sharing about why and how I wrote my two books. And then it is hands-on time when I will get you writing. You will want to have a paper and pen handy or your Word program open and ready to go.
Even if you’re just curious, come and join us. It’s free to attend on ZOOM and only 30 minutes. You just need to register, as space is limited. Please share this post or invite your friends and family. You never know who in your circle has been secretly wanting to write their life story or family history. I may offer this again on a weekend sometime, but please know that a recording of the workshop will not be posted.
COVID-19 has taken the world by storm and some of us are weathering this storm better than others. There is so much fear, anxiety and sense of uncertainty and powerlessness out there that aside from protecting ourselves from getting infected physically by washing our hands, we also have to do what we can to avoid getting infected mentally, emotionally and spiritually by cleansing our thoughts and emotions. As a cancer survivor I know the importance of maintaining a strong immune system to avoid getting sick. This means that anything that weakens my immune system that I have control over is something I am going to stay as far away from as I can. So what weakens our immune system? Things like fear, negative stress, worry, anxiety, repressed anger and all other negative emotions that cause our stress hormones to go wild. The beauty of doing everything we can to not sucked in by the negativity is what strengthens our immunity to health issues not just physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually as well. So, how do we keep positive during this pandemic? I invite you to watch my ZOOM presentation to learn more about some positive perspectives that work for me as well as practical tips for your consideration and application to your own lives. A REPLAY of the presentation is available on YouTube at https://youtu.be/oFSaC9Dafr4. Just click on the video below to watch. Please share this with anyone you know who can benefit. Your comments are welcome.
I'm looking at the date of my last blog post and wow, it was back in November 2016. How is that even possible? Well, it's about time I get back on, so here I am. Good to be back. So, where have I been, you might ask? I've been totally focused on the speaking arm of my business giving presentations about my most recent book, Meant to Be: A True Story of Might, Miracles and Triumph of the Human Spirit. In Meant to Be, I tell the amazing story of my parents' remarkable survival, love and triumph over tragedy as two unlikely World War II survivors. As captives on opposite sides of the world, they survived unimaginable cruelty in the most extraordinary of circumstances and then found everlasting love, against all odds. I also share about the valuable life lessons I learned when I turned to their strength and positivity as inspiration in my fight to beat cancer at age 29. My parents are incredible role models for all of us. In April 2018, I delivered my presentation about my book, Meant to Be, to the class that was shot into by the gunman at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida on February 14 of that year. This event launched my Youth Speaker Program in the United States. Telling my parents' inspirational story to young people has become a big focus. I tell my parents' story to young people to teach them about the atrocities that happened to people like my parents in the past as a reminder of the dangers of discrimination and prejudice and what this kind of hate and evil can lead to if we don't stop it. This is not just a message for young people. I also deliver my presentations as a faith-based speaker, seniors speaker, community speaker as well as corporate speaker. Positive inspirational stories and messages to stop the hate in our world are needed by people of all ages and backgrounds. Promoting my Meant to Be book and presentations has kept me extremely busy. It is a full-time effort getting the word out, doing all the social media and getting media attention. Now with COVID-19, my routine has changed. I am not on the road traveling with my speaking engagements. Things have come to a halt. I, like everyone else, have had to take a step back and regroup. In this time of reflection, I decided it was time to get back to writing my blog. And that is what's been happening and what brought me here today. Stay tuned. More to come soon. Yours in health,
I shared this wonderful post on Facebook and wanted to share it here with you as well. What I love about this story of Amber Brown is that it totally reflects my own personal approach to achieving happiness in life. I do my best to live by Amber Brown's 5 rules to be happy and although it is not always easy on some days when things happen that are so difficult to make sense of, it is certainly worth this reminder. Like any habit, it takes conscious effort so I aim to remain self-aware of that self-talk inside my head that can steer me in a positive or negative direction depending on what I choose to allow it to do. I invite you to take this moment to look at the photo and read this short post about Amber Brown, a 92-year old lady with a great attitude and five simple rules to be happy.
AMBER BROWN - NOV. 4, 2015
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, with her hair fashionably coiffed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today. Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. “Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room …. just wait.” “That doesn’t have anything to do with it,” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged, it’s how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away, just for this time in my life.” She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account, you withdraw from what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.” And with a smile, she said: “Remember the five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Expect less
Roslyn Franken is an inspirational speaker, proud cancer survivor and author of MEANT TO BE: A TRUE STORY OF MIGHT, MIRACLES AND TRIUMPH OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT. Visit http://www.roslynfranken.com
Can you believe 2015 is almost behind us? WHERE did the time fly? I feel like it was just yesterday that my husband and I were confirming our plans for New Year's Eve and now here we are again. I don't know about you, but 2015 was a big year for me. Some of the biggest highlights include:
Finishing writing and publishing my newest book, MEANT TO BE. Now this was no easy task to complete. It took more time and energy than I could have imagined from writing every word to designing the cover, formatting the book and getting it all just right for publication. Wow! I learned so much in the process as I'd never done a lot of these things before. I decided to self-publish through my own publishing company called 10-Q Publishing. With this second book of mine, I can honestly call myself a publisher now as I did it all and am very proud of my accomplishments. Are you thinking of writing a book? Not sure how or where to even begin? Maybe I can help you.
Celebrated my 50th birthday at the Friars Club in New York City watching my husband up on stage in the Frank Sinatra room performing his special brand of comedy magic to a great crowd. I was so proud of him as he made history that night as the first Canadian Comedy Magician to ever perform at the Friars Club. How cool is that?
Did a big Book Launch and Presentation of my book, MEANT TO BE. Got a full room standing ovation and the best part was my father, age 93, was in the audience looking up at me. So now I have accomplished 2 goals. I wanted to publish the book in his lifetime and have him be in the front row at the big launch event and presentation. Yes, it feels good.
Gave my MEANT TO BE presentation for my first group of high school students and loved the experience so much that I am looking to tour high schools with my presentation across North America as the feedback from the students was so positive and inspiring. Had no idea that speaking to high school students would ever be on my radar. What an exciting adventure this is to know that my book and story can touch the lives of students especially those in Grade 10 who are the same age my mother was when she was taken by the Nazis at 15.
I also gave my presentation at my first Church. That too was extremely rewarding as the presentation was so well received and also unexpected. Here's how it came about...
As the story of the book is about my parents' remarkable lives with my mother a Holocaust survivor in Nazi Europe and my father a survivor of the Nagasaki atomic bomb as a POW in Japan and both of the Jewish faith, one of the audience members at a business association I spoke for earlier in the year came up to me and asked if I would be comfortable to speak in a Church. I told him that I would absolutely be comfortable as long as his Church members want to hear the story. My parents' story is about survival and hope, faith and fortitude, courage and determination and transcends any specific religious faith. It is not just about history or spirituality but about humanity so it was my absolute pleasure to accept his invitation. I am looking to speak at many more Churches in the future.
So as you can see I've been super busy with so many firsts, so many new interests, so many new goals. It's been a lot of work and I've made a lot of sacrifices along the way, but I have no regrets.
Before you look back at the year and start thinking about all the things you didn't accomplish, I ask that you take a deep breath and a step back and reflect on all the good things that happened this past year... What did you achieve? What special memories did you create? What joys did you experience? What were your highlights whether professionally or personally? Do you want to share them? I'd love to hear about it so I invite you to share here in a comment or send me an email roslyn@roslynfranken.com. It's too easy to get negative about what could have been so shake all that off and focus on the positive, what is and now take another step back and give thought to what you'd like to see happen in 2016. And then.... just enjoy the ride and keep focused and open to possibilities.
Wishing you the very best for a very healthy, happy and prosperous New Year.
It’s been a
while since my last post and it’s good to be back. So what have I been up to?
Why has it been so long since you’ve heard from me? Well, about a year and a half
ago I made a commitment that I wanted to write a book about my parents’
remarkable life story within my father’s lifetime. As he was turning 93 this
year, I knew that I did not have the luxury of time on my side. As I’m sure
you’ll agree, it is often far too easy to procrastinate on our goals and dreams
as we always seem to think we have plenty of time. Without a sense of urgency
or commitment, the days, weeks, months and sometimes even years can fly by and
next thing you know we still haven’t taken any action toward what we really
want to achieve.
All this to say
that I could not afford to let myself procrastinate any further on writing my
book. It was something I decided to do and so I just buckled down and got it
done. With this decision and course of action came sacrifices. I had to
prioritize my goals, time and energy and made writing a top priority. If you’re
like me, sometimes we can fall into the trap of thinking we have to do it all
and be it all and we take on too much. Sound familiar? And then sometimes it’s
just so much and overwhelming that we crash and then don’t get anything done.
So my decision was to let go of my blog and radio show just for a short while,
to take a bit of a hiatus so I could just focus on the book. My
tendency is to spread myself too thin and focus on too many things at once so
this time I was determined to be smarter and wiser about how I went after my
goal to write my book.
The good news is that the book is written, published and
now available at http://www.meanttobe.today.
I am extremely proud of this book as it was not easy to write. It is a very
personal and inspirational account where I reveal the unforgettable true story of my parents, John and Sonja
Franken - two brave and unlikely survivors of World War II who find enduring
love in the most extraordinary of circumstances and then conquer
life-threatening health setbacks with the same daring and determination that
allowed them to survive their captivity. I also share how when diagnosed with
cancer at age 29, I turned to my parents’ examples of positivity and
perseverance as inspiration in my own fight to beat cancer and become a
long-term survivor.
How did John
and Sonja survive their captivity? How did they meet to find enduring love?
What did I learn from my parents that can help us all live better lives? The
amazing answers to these questions and more are what make up the powerful story
of MEANT TO BE.
MEANT TO BE
will capture your heart, uplift your spirit and open your mind to new
possibilities, leaving you both spellbound and wonderfully inspired with
universal messages on how to live a better life and make our world a better
place.
I have an
amazing stage presentation that I will be taking on tour to share their story
for groups looking for a speaker who will engage, inspire and uplift their
audiences with this incredible true story of survival, positivity and
perseverance as well as daring and determination, and the powers of faith and
fortitude. If you belong to or know of any organizations who may be interested, please do let me know at roslyn@roslynfranken.com.
This has been a
true passion project for me on so many levels and now I get to share it with
the world. I invite you to check it out and get your copy today at http://www.meanttobe.today.
