Diagnosis and Frankl's meaning of life

When a person receives a difficult diagnosis such as Parkinson’s Disease, they are likely to experience a rush of conflicting and confusing emotions. Questions flood through our minds like “What now?” “Why me?” “How will this affect my life and work?” “What about my family?” At the heart of questions like these is an existential crisis of sorts. We know our lives have changed, but how can we find meaning moving forward? I remember the sentiment that my specialist shared with me at one of my appointments. “You have Parkinson’s, but Parkinson’s doesn’t have you,” he stated in a manner that was meant to motivate me to do something. He was telling me that in spite of my Parkinson’s, or maybe because of it, I could still live a vibrant, meaningful life.

During the past four months I’ve spent a considerable amount of time and mental energy pondering my condition and how it would change me. How much change will I need to accept, or allow, and how much should I fight against? Due to my lessening energy and limited “on” periods, I realize the need to prioritize my activities. I understand that I need to spend my best hours on the most important activities. So…basic time management? Yes, but it goes deeper. Because of living with Parkinson’s, I am challenged to invest my time and energy in the activities that produce the most meaning. Well, there’s a light-hearted thought that leads us to a relatively simple question: ”What is the meaning of life?”

Philosophers and great thinkers have worked on this question since the beginning of time. We all want to know why we exist, and how to maximize our impact on this earth while we are living. There are no easy answers to the meaning of life question, but we can turn to at least one great thinker from recent times who gives us a little bit to build on.

Dr. Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, literally wrote the book on the meaning of life. His book “The Will to Meaning: Foundations and Applications of Logotherapy” was published in 1969 and puts forth the idea of Logotherapy as the so-called third Viennese School of Psychotherapy (after Freud and Adler). In the author biography printed at the beginning of the book, we read that Logotherapy “is based upon the belief that man seeks meaning, and that discovering the special significance in one’s life is a psychologically healing process.” Dr. Frankl elaborates on the steps to actually accomplish this.

Frankl writes: “If one prefers in this context to speak of values, he may discern three chief groups of values. I have classified them in terms of creative, experiential and attitudinal values. This sequence reflects the three principal ways in which man can find meaning in life. The first is what he gives to the world in terms of his creations; the second is what he takes from the world in terms of encounters and experiences; and the third is the stand he takes to his predicament in case he must face a fate which he cannot change. This is why life never ceases to hold a meaning, for even a person who is deprived of both creative and experiential values is still challenged by a meaning to fulfill, that is, by the meaning inherent in the right, in an upright way of suffering.”

There is a lot to unpack here. As usual, when I read heavy-duty philosophical thoughts such as these, I like to respond with questions to ponder.
What can I give to the world in terms of my creations? What can I take from the world in terms of encounters and experiences? What kind of stand can I take in the face of the fate or predicament that is Parkinson’s Disease?

647 words
Day 4: August 3, 2023
25/5; 25/5
Success!