Victor Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning is both an autobiography of his time in the prison camps and a presentation of logotherapy or as Frankl says, the will to meaning. Referring to logotherapy, Frankl says, “As each situation in life represents a challenge to man and presents a problem for him to solve. The question of the meaning of life may be actually reversed. Ultimately man should not ask what the meaning of his life is but rather he must recognize that it is he who is asked. In a word, each man is questioned by life; and he can only answer to life by answering for his own life; to life he can only respond by being responsible. Thus, logotherapy sees in responsibleness the very essence of human existence. Pps. 113-114
NOTE: Frankl presents a question that challenges us at each moment of our existence: “What is life asking of me at this moment?” Since we have free will we can choose to ignore the question, answer the question is a self-centered way, or to embrace the question and choose to be responsible to the unique circumstances we find ourselves in. It’s not always easy, it can be fraught with suffering and pain, yet it is our path toward meaning and living a fulfilled life.