After pointing out that the individual finds meaning through his uniqueness and unique contribution to the community, Frankl discusses destiny. Each individual life has a destiny with its own particular trials and tribulations. Everyone has his particular set of parents. He can try to rebel against his destiny by wishing he could exchange his parents for other ones, but he forgets that then he wouldn’t be who he is.
We’ve said previously that although someone may wish he could be perfect, his imperfection distinguishes him from everyone else in the world and constitutes his unique contribution to society. So too, his destiny feels restrictive in that he cannot choose the parents and life circumstances that destiny did not give him. But within the confines of this destiny, he has influence that no one else has, because the parameters of his sphere of influence are his alone. (p. 70-76)
There are people with a physical disability who can only move one eye and that is how they communicate. People have even written books that way. What allows those with the highest level of restrictions to accomplish so much with the little that they have while others, having so much, accomplish little with it?
People who accomplish things feel their freedom and responsibility as something qualitative, not quantitative. Freedom is freedom. It cannot be measured or contained. It can only be acted upon from within the structure that destiny sets up for them.