In arguably his greatest work, Man’s Search for Meaning, Viktor Frankl observes:
“For the first time in my life, I saw the truth as it is set into song by so many poets, proclaimed as the final wisdom by so many thinkers. The truth — that Love, Meaning, and Connection are the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire. Then I grasped the meaning of the greatest secret that human poetry and human thought and belief have to impart: The salvation of man is through love and in love.”
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Viktor E. Frankl (1905-1997) was professor of neurology and psychiatry at the University of Vienna Medical School until his death in 1997. He was the founder of what has come to be called the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy (after Freud’s psychoanalysis and Adler’s individual psychology)—the school of logotherapy.
Your post is timely as I get to work and ask myself what is going to matter today. I spend too much time working, too much time trying to be more successful and fit in to a culture that just may not be right for me. In the meantime, my son is turning 13 and I have not yet planned a celebration for him. Luckily, he appreciates steak. So, we will have a big feast for him on Sunday. I want to do more. I want to celebrate the wonderful young man that is becoming. Maybe that doesn’t just happen on his birthday. It happens everyday and yes, I will celebrate that.
I love your blog. It’s been a source of inspiration and clarity for me. Yours, Camilyn
Thank you for sharing. As a father of three sons as well as one daughter, all of whom are now parents themselves, I well recall birthday celebrations in years past. Loving, caring parents such as you obviously are always want to do more and be more. That is admirable,. But Frankl reminds all of us of the importance of loving and being worthy of others’ love. That is a gift we can give and receive every day. In this context, I am again reminded of maya Angelou’s observation, “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” That should be our focus as parents…that should be our focus as human beings. Best wishes and warmest regards, Camilyn
In a time of extreme change and ambiguity, when so many appear to be running to nihilistic corners, it is so good to be reminded of Viktor Frankl’s words. There’s a reason why his work has endured and stayed relevant. Our need for love, meaning and connection is fundamental, and reassuring. I will remember that as I leave my house this morning to connect with my day. Thank you for this post.
Warm regards,
Julie
Thank you for your comments. Frankl is among those who are convinced (as am I) that we cannot always control what happens to us but we can control how we respond to what happens to us. In his classic work, Denial of Death, Ernest Becker acknowledges that no one can deny physical death but, he suggests, there is another form of death that can be denied: That which occurs when we become wholly preoccupied with fulfilling others’ expectations of us. Let’s all keep that in mind when swimming laps in what so often resembles a septic tank. Best wishes and warmest regards, Julie.
Agreed. Thank you for the addendum.
Julie