"He who has a WHY to live can go through almost any HOW."

Nietzsche

In addition to faith, thought and will, there is a powerful driving force that unleashes the enormous potential of the person.This is the MEANING.

People need a reason to live, they need to see the meaning of their existence.

Meaning is not related to the accumulation of wealth and material goods. Often very rich and oversatisfied children experience a sense of futility and turn to drugs and other short-term pleasures to quell this feeling of emptiness.The reason people become depressed due to unemployment is not only the fear of misery, but also the feeling of uselessness and meaninglessness. When these people find something useful, they begin to see the point, and the depression disappears, even though their financial situation has not improved. The situation is the same with pensioners. When they retire and stay home, and their children have taken their own path and no longer need them, the elderly suddenly give up. And not because they are too old and sick, but because they begin to feel useless and do not find meaning to stimulate them.

When we find meaning, it strongly motivates and inspires us, gives us strength to pass in all circumstances, to overcome difficulties, to deal with pain and fear. Having" for what",we can go through all " how".

 I have always been impressed by the power of the human spirit when people face an unbearable destiny that cannot be changed (left crippled, lost all their loved ones, suffering from incurable diseases, etc.) ), turn their suffering into triumph and achieve things considered impossible.

If they all had a purpose, they saw a reason to continue, they found meaning in their existence even in the most difficult and limiting circumstances.

The need to discover meaning is very well reflected in the book "The Meaning of Life" by Victor Frankl.In this book he recounts his experiences in a brutal concentration camp. There, all circumstances come together to make the camper lose support. All known goals in life have been snatched.

 Dr. Frankl himself lost all - property, his family, his mother, his wife, his brother died in the camps, sent to the gas furnaces.

Despite the indescribable experiences - pain, hunger, hopelessness and uncertainty, there was only one thing that could restore a person's foundations - this is some future goal to strive for - something to fight for, something worth living for. 

For some of the campers it was the thought of a loved one waiting for them outside, for others it was some work waiting to be completed, for others, precious memories of the past.

Only those who saw no point in continuing were doomed.

In fact, these experiences led Dr. Frankl to the discovery of logotherapy. Unlike psychoanalysis, which focuses on one's past and freeing oneself from negative feelings and old patterns, logotherapy focuses on the future, and more specifically on finding meaning.

In his work as a psychiatrist, Dr. Frankham often asked his patients a shocking question: "Why don't you kill yourself?"

The answers gave him the opportunity to find guidelines for his therapy and to weave the thin threads of things important to the individual into a healthy tissue of meaning and responsibility.

Undoubtedly, the discovery of meaning is a force that can help us cope with illness, go through trials and fly forward.

But what is the meaning of our lives?

The meaning of life is something very individual. In addition to being different for each person, it changes and is different in different periods of life.

Meaning never ceases to exist.

Every situation is a challenge to a person, and in all circumstances, no matter how miserable and difficult they may be, meaning can be found.

Logotherapy points out three ways in which we can discover the meaning of our lives:

- Through creative work or doing work.

- By experiencing something or meeting someone.

- Through the attitude we perceive in the inevitable suffering.

The third way is one of the most important to understand, because often in difficult hopeless situations we stop seeing meaning.

And meaning can be found even in suffering.

 Dr. Frankl writes:

"There are situations in which a person is deprived of the opportunity to do his job or enjoy his life, but what can never be eliminated is the inevitability of suffering. By accepting the challenge of suffering bravely, life has meaning until its last moment and retains that meaning literally to the end. In other words, the meaning of life is unconditional, as it includes even the possible meaning of inevitable suffering. "

How to find the Meaning?

We often ask: "What is the meaning of life?" And expect someone to answer, but we actually have to ask ourselves that question.

Of course, the existence of life in general has a deeper meaning, each person has a mission and contributes something to the development of the universe.

But here I am talking about finding concrete meaning at every moment.

It is our responsibility to discover the meaning of our existence at every moment of life.

What could be the meaning of our lives?

What makes our lives meaningful does not have to be something big and great. The point is not even to fulfill our desires or get pleasure.

Meaning is more of an inner feeling that fills us, it is satisfaction and makes us feel grateful, it is the thing that makes us feel alive.

People most often find they see meaning in:

- Love.

- Creativity and scientific work.

- Children or caring for loved ones.

- Spiritual and personal development.

- The activities that make us feel satisfied - helping others, passing on experience and knowledge.

- Setting a specific goal, etc.

Remember, however, that meaning never ceases to exist, both in a concrete life plan and on a deeper level.

It is constantly changing according to the situation.

Think about it - what is it that fills you, that gives you hope and desire for life, that makes you feel satisfied and full, that makes you happy?

Remember that no matter how hopeless the situation may seem, we can always find meaning.

Victor Frankl, when he is in one of the most terrible concentration camps, Auschwitz, and has nothing to cling to or hope for, he begins to help the campers find meaning in their seemingly lost lives.

It can help to look at life as if years have passed and you are at the end of your earthly journey.

 Now!- look back and think,

 "Was my life meaningful, was there anything to live for?"

 What would you like to say to yourself when that moment comes?..... 

I hope the answer to be - I had all these great meaningful days.

A.A

Stob, Bulgaria