Meaning

by Jose Saucedo

How do you define meaning? I don't know what “logotherapy” means but I can get behind what Frankl has to say.

COVID takes more than lives; it takes away social interaction, it takes away human contact… it also takes away meaning. I know this might sound depressing, but in many ways that’s just how I feel.

If it’s true that working/creating is an avenue through which one arrives at meaning, well then I'm in trouble. I'm not working in the hospital, I'm not creating workouts or gym programs (which I normally do every week)… what am I working towards? I feel aimless.

If it’s true that experiencing something or encountering someone is an avenue through which one arrives at meaning, well then I'm in trouble. I'm hundreds of miles away from my friends and my girlfriend, starved from true human interaction. I feel aimless. I feel empty.

I look down at the quiche I made for dinner and realize I made something. I smile for a moment and acknowledge that creating something as simple as a homemade dish can bring at least some fulfillment. I hope my family likes what I made for them!