J. Davy Crockett III

Once, during a trip to the United Kingdom, I had the opportunity to visit the National Gallery in London. This imposing complex of great buildings houses some of the finest examples of art from the Renaissance and earlier periods, along with works of art from more recent times. As I walked through the great galleries and observed the ancient paintings, large and small, I was struck by the recurring theme of most of the works, especially from the Middle Ages up through the 19th century.

In his famous book Man’s Search for Meaning, Dr. Viktor Frankl wrote of his horrific experiences as a survivor of Nazi concentration camps. Frankl, a psychiatrist, approached his imprisonment with a scientist’s analytical mind. He observed that prisoners who had a clear goal or a cause greater than themselves were the ones most likely to carry on and survive, even in the midst of sadistic brutality and cruel deprivation. Those without such a purpose were likely to perish.

In his famous book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Dr. Viktor Frankl wrote of his horrific experiences as a survivor of Nazi concentration camps. Frankl, a psychiatrist, approached his imprisonment with a scientist’s analytical mind. He observed that prisoners who had a clear goal or a cause greater than themselves were the ones most likely to carry on and survive even in the midst of sadistic brutality and cruel deprivation. Those without such a purpose were likely to perish. Frankl concluded that, as the philosopher Nietzsche observed, “He who has a why to live for can bear with almost any how.”

There is an old proverb that “You don’t miss the water until the well goes dry.” We are often taken by surprise by some occurrence, event or development that should have been obvious, but which was somehow overlooked or simply not acknowledged until it befalls us.

Some people make their impressions on you in unexpected ways. Their demeanor, their manner of speech, the troubles they have endured, their attitude or their approach to life can change your perspective or perception, and help you see life from a different point of view.