Viktor Frankl

Just yesterday I came across an article that got my attention, and sparked my spirits. It was a brief introduction to the life and work of Jewish psychiatrist Viktor Frankl ( 1905- 1997 ), renowned for his writings and research in to the meaning of suffering and himself a survivor of three years of Nazi death camps. His main book, " Trotzdem ja Zum Leben sagen: ein Psychologe Erlebt das Konzentrationslager", meaning " Saying Yes to Life in Spite of Everything: a Psychologist Experiences the Concentration Camp", is known in English under the title "Man's Search for Meaning" ( 1959 ). His assertion was that even in the most inhumane conditions, life and suffering can have meaning. He believed that happiness is not a given, it ensues through meaning, especially in the hope and support we can give to others. His story struck me as very important, and I felt invigorated just reading about his life and work. What is striking is the fact that Viktor Frankl could have escaped the Nazi persecution, as he had an exit visa for the US, but he decided to stay, because he did not want to leave his elderly parents behind. Most of his immediate family, including his parents and his pregnant wife, perished, but even though he survived, he was willing to risk dying with them. He ended up publishing 39 books in 40 languages, sharing his existential analysis shaped largely by his experiences in the concentration camps. In 1985, the American Psychiatric Association awarded Viktor Frankl the Oskar Pfister Award for his important contributions to religion and psychiatry. One of my favorite quotes of his is this passionate conviction : " The salvation of man is through love and in love. I understood how a man who has nothing left in this world still may know bliss, be it only for a brief moment, in the contemplation of his beloved." Sometimes you can read something that puts into focus all your own efforts, and reading those words by Viktor Frankl yesterday did that for me. As someone who has survived the trauma of a family that destroyed itself by lies and intrigue,resulting in tragic deaths and ruin, love as a pure goal in and of itself has become the corner stone of meaning , giving me the energy to believe in my marriage, my son and his talents , and my own redemption and talents. You can lose a lot in life, status, money, family, friends, health, dreams, but as long as your heart stays open to love, and continues to have love for the people you do have in your life, and that love is returned, you will be fine, your life will have meaning, and you will that way indeed be happy. You will be happy, because your life has meaning, just as it had meaning for Viktor Frankl, even in his darkest days. So, love the people in your life with all your heart, passion, energy, time and conviction. You won't regret a thing, no matter what else you are struggling with.