There is no amount of suffering that we cannot overcome
The theory that man can survive anything was tested and proven in Nazi concentration camps, where people had to endure what can only be described as Hell on Earth. Although all went through the same ordeal, some survived to tell the story.
⚡️One can survive anything by putting their mind to it, even a concentration camp.
But in this dire reality, you start to notice that there is clarity of mind, and the littlest things can bring you profound joy. These seemingly simple things made it easier for the mind to process relief. Merely knowing that you might get two slices of bread instead of one made a world of difference to the inmates at Nazi “Death Camps” in Poland.
⚡️Finding little joy amid suffering is key to survival. It keeps us grateful.
Regardless of their situation, people can change or stay steadfast in their original design. Most prisoners resorted to despicable survival methods and blamed it on their surroundings, but a person’s right to choose who they are and who they want to be in the face of trouble can’t be taken from them.
As imprisoned individuals search for meaning in their situation, they must see it as an opportunity to obtain fulfillment and find a purpose because life cannot be complete without suffering. In their desire to survive, they shouldn’t lose humanity.
⚡️The tactics we employ to survive must not be at the cost of our true nature.
The most trying part of the imprisonment for Viktor Frankl was when he didn’t know for how long he’d be locked up. This unknown usually caused many people in concentration camps to give up and simply waste away because they couldn’t imagine a future beyond their lives behind barbed wire fences.
Suffering loses its effect once you understand it and can make sense of it; once you do, you free up space for faith in the future and strengthen your spiritual and mental truths.
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
Viktor Frankl
Thank you so much for bringing all of these phenomenal lessons to life for me! It’s beyond incredible that we were able to get this once-in-a-lifetime study of sorts from a true psychoanalyst through one of the most tragic events in human history, proving a peak at what there was to be GAINED from all of it. Love the blog Ben!