Sunday, February 27, 2022

Meaning and Pleasure

Meaning and pleasure do not necessarily coincide. Often meaning is hard won, stressful and difficult. Yet, meaning, purpose, and wisdom are the result. 

Viktor Frankl wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms — to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”  ― Man's Search for Meaning

Having children may not always be pleasant. It can be excruciating if your child is sick, or is in an accident. But caring for the child can be more meaningful than many personal pursuits. 

Joy and pleasure may bring meaning. There is often great meaning in the ecstasy of a spiritual experience. Contact with the source of life often carries joy beyond expression. When this happens we are blessed. But, when we are suffering, there is also meaning. Look for it. It may bring you freedom and wisdom.

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