Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning had a deep impact on my life. It was the basis for my doctoral dissertation. It became the foundational work for much of my research in higher education. I still treasure a typed letter from Viktor Frankl giving me advice on writing my dissertation. I am re-reading Man’s Search for Meaning (I’ve read it numerous times always gleaning some new insight). As I re-read Man’s Search for Meaning I will share Frankl’s insights with you and my take on how they apply to our contemporary lives.
Frankl describes a scene from a holocaust camp when he writes, “Thus, when we saw a comrade smoking his own cigarettes, we knew he had give up faith in his strength to carry on, and once lost, the w9ill to live seldom returned (pps 21-22).
I’ve witnessed the same phenomenon in older men and women who suddenly stop taking care of their appearance or the space in which they live, it is as if one can see the cloud of death hovering over them. It’s not long before they die. Don’t give in, ever. Fight the thoughts that you are powerless. Fight the thoughts that life is not worth living. You and your life are important and even the smallest contribution to make life better for another is significant. You are needed.