PPBlessing

In Man’s search for meaning, Viktor gives us a glimpse into what his life was like during the holocaust, living in various concentration camps and how life was stripped to the barest level. He states that, “at any moment, man must decide, for better or for worse, what will be the monument of his existence.”

A lot of the experiences he shared seemed quite gross and unbelievable especially for a person like me who couldn’t really imagine that such extent of debasement is even possible. He suggested that, “as to the causation of the feeling of meaninglessness, one may say, albeit in an oversimplifying vein, that people have enough to live by but nothing to live for; they have the means but no meaning. To be sure, some do not even have the means.”

“As logotherapy teaches, there are three main avenues on which one arrives at meaning in life. The first is by creating a work or by doing a deed. The second is by experiencing something or encountering someone; in other words, mean­ing can be found not only in work but also in love. The third avenue to meaning in life: even the helpless victim of a hopeless situation, facing a fate he cannot change, may rise above himself, may grow beyond himself, and by so doing change himself. He may turn a personal tragedy into a triumph.” The above quote captures the three main sources of meaning in the life of humans.

Although this book had me wondering about the extent of pain and lack that the author and all others who had survived went through, I was encouraged by the level of hope they kept in their hearts in order to survive such a great ordeal and I’ve also wondered at the mental re-engineering the experience had on them afterwards.

This book is best read to understand the various aspects he discusses in its three segments viz:
1. Experiences in a Concentration Camp
2. Logotherapy in a Nutshell
3. The Case for a Tragic Optimism

The book made me realize that no matter what situation a person finds themselves in, their attitude and perspective of hope supersedes everything.

The foundation of the book is upon the Biblical text of Genesis 1:28, “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.”

According to Dr. Mensa,” a person cannot be fruitful unless he begins to use the seed God gave him because fruit comes out of the seed. If you plant the seed, you will reap the fruit in due season. And God will multiply the harvest to you.” And the four laws of productivity are:

1. Be fruitful.
2. Multiply.
3. Replenish
4. Subdue the earth

The book points out that, “development begins at the lowest point and rises to the highest point. No matter what you have, it is not too little to start doing something with.
Every person on earth has a seed inside that God can reproduce to bring a harvest. But it is so easy to despise such little things as seeds. It is so easy to throw away something that looks so insignificant. But that tiny thing within you has the power of making you fruitful in life,” as such, we are encouraged to keep pressing on, because the things we tag insignificant today can lead to a great harvest tomorrow.

“Your seed is the gift God placed within you.” and it is only in using it, that you can grow the seed into a tree that will yield greater fruits in the future. He further pointed out that, “If any kind of success comes that tamper with your relationship to God, then you can know that your success is beginning to manage you. If you come to a place where prosperity, ambition, or even your vision of replenishing cause you to stop attending church, stop praying, stop reading your Bible, and stop loving God as you used to do, then you are not subduing but being subdued.”

Therefore, even as we pursue growth and greatness, it is important to make sure that our relationship with God is not compromised in the process.

Have you read the book? What lessons did you learn from it?