Suffering To Understand Humanity

Victor Frankl speaks of the world and of humanity with a humble, deeper understanding of the way humans process pain and attempt to spare themselves from the worst of their suffering. The further I got into the article, the more I began to think that, while suffering takes endless forms and is unique to each person, the human reaction to suffering has similarities that span all kinds and levels of suffering, and lead people to similar understandings of the world around them.

If I am able to relate to the coping mechanisms and thoughts that went through a person's head while in a concentration camp, having never experienced anything remotely close to the horrors of Auschwitz, I believe that speaks to the creation of a greater understanding of humanity in the midst of suffering.

At some point, after all strategies of coping with suffering still leave you with the feeling of a hole through your stomach or a rock on your chest, you realize that the solution is not external, it's internal. Being angry at the world or at the people around you will not ease your pain. Instead, it is crucial to find the things that bring you sanity and hold on to them. For Frankl, imagining his wife brought him peace and comfort, and he knew that the man next to him was doing the same thing.

Suffering offers perspective. While some may argue the perspective is not worth the pain, I disagree. I believe that a greater, deeper, realer understanding of the world and the people in it is worth the pain. Often feeling the pain of suffering (in a more modern setting), whether it is a questioning of one's identity and morals, losing people you love, or making a life altering decision, I truly believe that if you can persevere through the suffering, the perspective you gain of the world is invaluable.

While it is hard to see at first, when you are trying to push through all of the things that are causing you pain and holding you out of reach of peace and comfort, attitude and hope are crucial to enduring suffering and appreciating the knowledge you gain looking back. After suffering, everyday emotions seem to have only scratched the surface of the capabilities and complexities of the human mind, and suffering allows you to peer into the deepest places of your mind and understand humanity in lights you never thought existed.