Equanimity...What is that?

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e·qua·nim·i·ty
/ˌekwəˈnimədē/
noun
  1. mental calmness, composure, and evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation.
    "she accepted both the good and the bad with equanimity"


 "Between stimulus and response, there is a space.  In that space is our power to choose our response.  In our response lies our growth and freedom"  -- Viktor Frankl

About a month ago, a friend turned me on to a book called "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl, and if you haven't heard of it or read it, I strongly suggest you do. I won't get into too many spoilers here, so you are safe.

Viktor was a holocaust survivor as well as a psychiatrist, which put him in an interesting position whereby he could study people in the ugliest and most dire of situations. His take on both survivors and offenders is unique. The conditions he was subjected to during the Holocaust provided him with an incredible insight not only into the horrors that humans are capable of, but also into how some survivors, including himself, were able to cope with impending doom, and, incredibly, how he found peace and sanity under such pressures.

While cancer is a walk in the park compared to the holocaust, in some instances, I felt what I learned about perspective, mindset, and faith was similar to what Viktor articulated much better than I could have imagined.

The message I received was about equanimity, and it has been ...continue reading

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