Discovering Meaning: How Logotherapy Unlocks the Human Drive for Purpose

This is a story for everyone who enjoys a touch of playful philosophy and doesn’t mind reflecting on life’s greatest question: what is the meaning of life?

Fabian kicked off his evening in the most sudden—and, in his eyes, supremely epic—way: he climbed onto a rickety old fence with all the flair of an acrobat from a viral TikTok show. The sky blazed at sunset with such astonishing hues that any blogger would trade their entire filter set just to capture them, and the neighbor’s rooster launched an inexplicable early-morning serenade, as though convinced dawn had already come. Yet for Fabian, the real drama was unfolding inside: he couldn’t shake the “opera aria” of a single thought echoing through his head—Does my life have any meaning at all?!

Determined to find an answer, Fabian devoured a towering stack of self-improvement books, prompting the librarian to secretly label him a devourer of treatises. He pored over every page, hoping to crack a long-sought secret, sometimes lingering on especially cryptic paragraphs as though merging with the solemn philosopher on the cover. He transformed his apartment into a sticky-note fortress, posting reminders across every surface that meaning is near. His fascination soared so high that he even signed up for goat yoga, though the goats showed little enthusiasm for sharing their hay with a presumed vacuum-packed sausage. Disappointment seeped into Fabian’s heart like discovering an empty fridge in the dead of night.

Finally, drained from chasing the grand solution, Fabian took a daring leap: he couldn’t manage the monk life, so he settled on trying out meditation atop a modest hill by the supermarket—where, according to the local grandmothers, everything flows except Wi-Fi. Crossing his legs in a mischievous “lotus trickster” pose, he hoped that, in the hush of that spot, a century-defining epiphany would descend. Yet, before any insight could bloom, a swarm of mosquitoes descended first, zeroing in on his knees with startling fervor. Without pause, Fabian bolted upright—enlightenment, for now, remained beyond his grasp.

He changed his tactic. Back home, he tore a clean sheet from his notebook and scrawled a daring statement: I am free from others’ expectations! In that instant, a chill like a sharp wind swept through his thoughts, leaving his mind startlingly clear. Just then, as if prompted by fate, the neighbor’s cat—undeniably the evening’s most mysterious figure—sauntered in. Without so much as a meow, it placed a tiny bell at Fabian’s feet and vanished into the darkness.

Gazing at that modest gift, Fabian realized that chasing the “absolute meaning” is about as fruitful as hunting down the very last roll of toilet paper on Black Friday: too many nerves spent, zero guarantees. Yet meaning can pop up in the smallest corners of life—like a random encounter, a surprise left on the doorstep, or a tiny bell from a sly cat. There’s no rigid script called “Grand Finale: The Ultimate Answer”; it’s far more fun to live for the sake of living, with a dash of irony, genuine curiosity, and a readiness to be astonished—even by your own goat-yoga poses.

Fabian set off for home, gently swinging the bell as if it were a playful little music maker. Each soft chime reminded him that meaning often hides in life’s unexpected twists, pleasant surprises, and seemingly pointless moments. The more firmly we convince ourselves that everything is already figured out, the more readily life tosses in a new surprise—one that might just shimmer with a fresh hint of purpose.