A friend of mine shared this quote lastnight by a holocaust survivor, Viktor Frankl, "Suffering presents us with a challenge to find goals and purpose in our lives that make even the situation worth living through."
I had to hear this several times in order to comprehend the meaning. For me, suffering is such a constant state I'm in that I found it hard to comprehend it having a purpose. Actually the harder part for me to hear is the living through part. If this means I end up alive in the end then I can tell you that I have certainly gained a deeper purpose in my life and a whole new set of goals. If the outcome is that I'm a beautiful dragonfly then it might take until that transformation happens for me to find a purpose in all this suffering. But never the less I am still living through it so it must be worth living through.
Exactly. Finding meaning is for this moment and the next, whatever the situation...or especially in suffering. He also said, 'We must never forget we may find meaning in life even when confronted with a hopeless situation, when facing a fate that cannot be changed. For what then matters is to bear witness to the uniquely human potential at its best, which is transform a personal tragedy into triumph, to turn one's predicament into a human achievement. When we are no longer able to change the situation, such as inoperable cancer,we are challenged to change ourselves."
ReplyDeleteIs this not true for all humanity in all situations? So, it is in finding meaning for any and all of our sufferings that we triumph. Carolee
I hope you find it....đź’–
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