Saturday, December 16, 2006
Man's Search For Meaning--by Viktor E. Frankl
Life and death, and choosing to end one's life, is about man's (mankind’s) search for meaning. I recently read this book by Victor Frankl. My main purpose for reading his book was to learn about Logtheraphy. I am intrigued by various theories of therapy and the thinking behind them and how they work. I am even more intrigued by what the therapies were years ago compared to what we believe they are today.
The first part of the book is entitled Experiences in a Concentration Camp. Here Frankl shares his memories of a terrible time in his life when everyday was hell and a battle to survive. On page 88 we find this observation about that time. "The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity--even under the most difficult circumstances--to add deeper meaning to his life."
Today, tonight, if you are suffering, if you are experiencing your own battle for survival, be assured that out of this suffering is an opportunity for a deeper meaning. You don't have to embrace that deeper meaning now, because the pain may be too great. But at some point in the future, you will experience a moment when a realization will be yours that would not have been yours, minus this painful experience. Would you trade the future realization for the present pain? Yes of course, we all would. And, if you are suffering greatly, and may even feel angry in response to a suggestion about receiving deeper meaning in your life--that is ok too. That is how most feel when in great pain.
It is in our pain we are forced to search for new meaning in life. It is a search we would not choose, unless prodded by pain. It is my prayer that you live to embrace the new you and perhaps even write about as a Viktor Frankl did.
The first part of the book is entitled Experiences in a Concentration Camp. Here Frankl shares his memories of a terrible time in his life when everyday was hell and a battle to survive. On page 88 we find this observation about that time. "The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity--even under the most difficult circumstances--to add deeper meaning to his life."
Today, tonight, if you are suffering, if you are experiencing your own battle for survival, be assured that out of this suffering is an opportunity for a deeper meaning. You don't have to embrace that deeper meaning now, because the pain may be too great. But at some point in the future, you will experience a moment when a realization will be yours that would not have been yours, minus this painful experience. Would you trade the future realization for the present pain? Yes of course, we all would. And, if you are suffering greatly, and may even feel angry in response to a suggestion about receiving deeper meaning in your life--that is ok too. That is how most feel when in great pain.
It is in our pain we are forced to search for new meaning in life. It is a search we would not choose, unless prodded by pain. It is my prayer that you live to embrace the new you and perhaps even write about as a Viktor Frankl did.
# posted by survivors story @ 3:01 AM 
