One day I received a message on my cell phone that was left by the secretary of a certain high school. The content of the message was that I should be at the appointment for my child on such and such day at such and such time. There was only one problem. It was a wrong number.
To me this meant that the mother will miss the appointment and be angry with the school for not telling her and the school will be angry that the mother didn’t come. So I looked up the name of the school on the internet, didn’t find a phone number but found an email and sent an email saying, “Just want you to know that the mother you called did not get your message because you called a wrong number.” I got an email in response apologizing and thanking me.
Logotherapy sets out to help people find meaning. But what is ‘meaning?” It’s not some abstract idea. The meaning of a situation is made up of my clear assessment of the facts, the significance of those facts and knowing how this significance relates to me personally.
For example, the sound of a baby crying is not an abstract meaning. The infant cannot speak for itself but its needs demand fulfillment. What the situation requires from me will vary depending on what is happening and on my role in relation to what’s happening. Is the infant is hungry or uncomfortable? Am I the mother or the babysitter or a stranger walking by? If my hearts is pounding and my hands are cold, what is this a sign of? What the situation requires me to do depends on my assessment of what is happening.
Not only doctors make assessments. We’re addressed by life every minute of every day and one way or another we have to answer. The question “What does it mean?” is always followed by “What is the task that demands fulfillment by me?” (par. Beginning with “The Meaning of Life,” pp. 130-131)