# 77
From Bobby to Brian
Jun 1, 2009
Hey Brian,
So I’ve been reading Victor Frankl’s “Man Search For Meaning” and there was a passage where he talked about pain. Since I’ve been out of the hospital it has been hard, physically and emotionally. I have constant pain, coming from every place; my lungs, stomach, head, muscles. There are ways to control it chemically but even these solutions have their drawbacks. Emotionally, my breakup with _____ is really taking a toll on me. Having essentially been living in a hospital room for the past six weeks with no involvement in the outside world shielded me from real knowledge and reminders of my old life. When I came across this quote I was completely floored.
“The way in which a man accepts his fate and all the suffering it entails, the way in which he takes up his cross, gives him ample opportunity-even under the more difficult circumstances-to add a deeper meaning to his life. It may remain brave, dignified and unselfish. Or in the bitter fight for self-preservation he may forget his human dignity and become no more than an animal. Here lies the chance for a man either to make use of or to forgo the opportunities of attaining the moral values that a difficult situation may afford him. And this decides whether he is worthy of his sufferings or not.”
It has reinforced my mission to make the most of my situation and become “worthy of my sufferings”. We both have obstacles that force us to live our lives much differently than most people and challenges our mettle every single day. Are our lives predetermined or can we choose the direction in which our fate travels? I believe that we can choose and direct the sails of our lives to determine where fate will send them by doing the right thing, by “Doing unto others what you would have done unto you”. I think it is important to leave a positive mark in this world, and I want to keep following the path I set out for myself in the truest and most honest way possible. Keeping my head high and making the best of what life throws at me.
Hope you’re well. Talk to you soon.
Bobby.