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He was in a German concentration camp. Elie Wiesel in "Night" also saw the horrors of this not so long ago experience for millions of people. Sad and yet each looked for that which held meaning and value during that experience. If you choose Night, too, by Wiesel, it is a triology.
Good to get the others: Dawn and Day
-- Edited by grateful2be on Thursday 18th of July 2013 10:04:46 PM
When I was in the throes of struggling and suffering with my life I sought a lot of guidance.
I thought nobody could suffer more than me. In my journey to find serenity and happiness It was suggested that I read the book "Man's search for meaning". It is written by Viktor E. Frankl. Its not a new book, but it really impacted my life and helped to put it in perspective.
"The meaning of your life is to help others find the meaning of theirs." Viktor was quoted as saying, reading about his struggles made mine seem so small in comparison.
"The meaning of your life is to help others find the meaning of theirs." Viktor was quoted as saying, reading about his struggles made mine seem so small in comparison.
Its a great read and one you will never forget.
With much gratitude
Bettina
WOW....I just did a post underneath the post Breakingfree about the pedophile site....Read what I said....U and I are on the same wave length, but of course my post was longer......Maybe I write so much b/c my voice was suppressed in the old days....I was deprived the right of self expression, so I get carried away , lots of times, here, LOL
__________________
Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
Certainly was a good read...His was one hairy way to live a life...totally day by day and without assurance he would get one more. I still have the book and the memories from his story. Gonna read it again because it has meaning. ((((hugs))))
Certainly was a good read...His was one hairy way to live a life...totally day by day and without assurance he would get one more. I still have the book and the memories from his story. Gonna read it again because it has meaning. ((((hugs))))
oh you guys have me curious....what was his life, living day by day and no assurance of another day????? sounds like a real interesting book.....
__________________
Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
So did I Bettina...it is a wonder his inner program allowed him to live at times in the second, in the minute and in the hour and to serve both sides of the need. He was highly functional something I stive for daily. Today I searched for the meaning for my life as I have so often done in the past. I am most always brought back to the same condition that Frankl nurtured...service. What I know today is that it is so important as to who you put yourself at the disposal of...Comprende? Mahalo for this thread. ((((hugs))))
He was in a German concentration camp. Elie Wiesel in "Night" also saw the horrors of this not so long ago experience for millions of people. Sad and yet each looked for that which held meaning and value during that experience. If you choose Night, too, by Wiesel, it is a triology.
Good to get the others: Dawn and Day
-- Edited by grateful2be on Thursday 18th of July 2013 10:04:46 PM
WOW....I have movies on real life experiences re: the concentration camps.....I met survivors when I was in Germany, and ya know?? some of them just "began lilfe again" the others it beat them down.... there are times, honest to God I felt like we kids were in a concentration camp....the monster was half french/ half german....my mother was native american, (cherokee) and he was a racist....one time I brought a black child home frm school to play and he freaked, threw the kid out and beat the crap out of me....he thought Hitler did a lot of good for Germany, I mean this guy (bio sire) was over the top....he minimized the horrors of the Shoa....(the killing of the Jews) and I actually spoke w/survivors of the camps...worked for the niece of a survivor.....You really feel humble listening to them....
__________________
Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
So did I Bettina...it is a wonder his inner program allowed him to live at times in the second, in the minute and in the hour and to serve both sides of the need. He was highly functional something I stive for daily. Today I searched for the meaning for my life as I have so often done in the past. I am most always brought back to the same condition that Frankl nurtured...service. What I know today is that it is so important as to who you put yourself at the disposal of...Comprende? Mahalo for this thread. ((((hugs))))
Oh Jerry, reading this thread is such an eye opener....and yea, there was this bio on a lady named "kitty" who was survivor of Aushwitz and she took her grandson to the camp where she lived and she went through her story and I was just totally mesmerized by this woman's courage and grace....she did literally live second to second and minute to minute....the Nazis would call "roll call" at any time of day and some folks survived it, some were sent to be gassed....I have talked to survivors, read their stories and watched the movies.....one of the best movies I saw....2 of them......."Playing for Time" starring lynn redgrave, i think and the other "escape from sobribor" with Rutger Haur and some other great actors.......I think my life sucks???? I see or think of those people and I think, WOW, by the grace of the creator that aint me.....my life was horrible, but thse people lived in unspeakable conditions.....at least our tormentor had to work, go out of town for his work, and of course I would run awy....I got a respite....I made my respites....these people were trapped
Bettina, this is a hell of a thread....Thank you for posting it.....low on money, but I will see if I can get a used copy on amazon.com
__________________
Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
Bettina: I read that book a long time ago and I certainly absolutely identified with the suffering because of course I did suffer and continued to suffer for a long long time.
I think the concept of meaning can be very difficult to manage and I definitely balked when anyone broached the idea that I might find some acceptance of what happened to me as a child, let alone what happened when I devoted myself to an alcoholic.
I used to have some kind of hierarchy on suffering but I have to say whatever pain I was in at times seemed insurmountable. I don't any longer compare my suffering to anyone elses. To me it is pretty difficult why try to compare it is to other peoples. I am not on a grid or something. These days I definitely have my moments when things can get very very difficult for me. There are some tasks ahead of me that seem incredibly herculean but I have already worked through so many obstacles what is another one.
I do find "meaning" in a great deal but I can't lambast myself that I didn't in the past. I am grateful to have "meaning" but I know that I worked really really hard to get here. The meaning for me was that I got to a point where I could absolutely accept the past rather than be choked up by it. Certainly accepting the alcoholic is a lot easier now he isn't in my life destroying it at every juncture. But I can accept why he came along and why I dove straight into that relationship and couldn't let go even when it nearly destroyed me on every level. I don't blame him or me. But I certainly hold him responsible for his part. I wasn't responsible for all of it.
Expectation for me is so so key. Now that I have meaning in my life it is certainly lighter and easier but it doesn't mean I sail through all my problems. In fact right now my problems seem pretty difficult but they don't involve me blaming, shaming or worrying myself to death over them. But yep they are very very difficult and sometimes seem pretty much insurmountable I have to say that. I know when I get to work through those problems I will probably find some meaning in that process but really if I am quite honest I would, like I did every other time I hit any kind of issue, love to bypass it. Oh can I just get to that meaning part! LOL
I admire people who have survived great tragedy and triumphed. I am always so grateful to find books that help me work through issues too.
I think the concept of meaning can be very difficult to manage and I definitely balked when anyone broached the idea that I might find some acceptance of what happened to me as a child, let alone what happened when I devoted myself to an alcoholic.
I used to have some kind of hierarchy on suffering but I have to say whatever pain I was in at times seemed insurmountable. I don't any longer compare my suffering to anyone elses. To me it is pretty difficult why try to compare it is to other peoples. I am not on a grid or something. These days I definitely have my moments when things can get very very difficult for me. There are some tasks ahead of me that seem incredibly herculean but I have already worked through so many obstacles what is another one.
OMG, Maresie, this post was soo good I had to re-read it a couple of times to absorb the wisdom in it....I can relate to the "comparing my pain to others" I did that ALOT...thought I always had it the worst....yea, it was horrible..unspeakable childhood, but ya know??? now that I am in recovery this is NOT a contest who got chopped up in life the worst...Its about how we can help one another with love and acceptance and support....what might kill me may be not such a biggy to another and vice versa.....
as to accepting my childhood?? I don't try to fight it anymore...I don't try to either deny it or wish to re-hash over and over the details, its DONE....I can't get it back, but I CAN keep it from dominating my current life...
Really when I am not in recovery working through stuff, I set a boundary on myself....NO going over the past at all when in the "regular life" yea, if I need to share about it in recovery to work through a trigger or I am depressed needing support, or I am helping another, yea, I share, but its ON to the solution...what I am doing NOW to help me NOW....
Thank you for your lovely post....I got a LOT out of it........Take care
__________________
Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
