LILY Letter 25: Finding Meaning in Tragedy
September 28, 2021
Virtually everyone reading this has experienced personal tragedy. When Victor Frankl, a psychologist, was a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp, he made some very astute observations about how people responded to extreme conditions. He noticed that those who could find meaning in the tragedy were happier and more likely to survive. He, himself, imagined lecturing to large crowds about the things he had learned as a prisoner. When Frankl was liberated at the end of the war, he wrote an international best-selling book entitled, "Man's Search for Meaning," drawing on his observations about human psychology from his concentration camp experience.
In a recent podcast, our friend, Lark Galley, discussed her recent book, "Learning to Breathe Again," drawing on her experience with divorce and the tragic suicide of a beloved son. Her book is a memoir of grief and healing. She is a champion of suicide prevention and grief recovery.
After we were married, we also felt to share our experiences with divorce and mid-single life to provide hope and healing to others. We wrote a book called "Intentional Courtship" in an effort to minister to others who are where we have been.
In a way, Dr. Frankl, Lark, and ourselves have one thing in common--the desire to help administer to others out of our own pain. It is giving meaning to a great tragedy by sharing what we have learned with others.
If you are going through deep trials or recovering from them, remember to search for the meaning. Ask yourself what good can come of this pain. In time, seeing a wise purpose minimizes the bitterness of pain.