JUSTICE: The Struggle for Balance

Principles of fairness and justice have deep roots in the human psyche: we want to receive our fair share and a fair shake. When man injures man, we may protest, strive for redress, and measure wrong with morality—but what about godly misfortunes? Life, myth, and religion are rich with issues of injustice. Whether personal injury, social inequality, or divine mystery, over-insistence on fairness can lead to depression, resentment, and fixation.

Instead, we must distinguish injustice from loss, recognize what can and cannot be changed, and orient to the future. Imprisoned in a concentration camp, Viktor Frankl later wrote, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s way.”

Here’s the dream we analyze:

“I stood opposite my husband as he told me he’d found somewhere else to live, and with a mystery woman. I paced around; we were in a busy place. I reached for my phone, unsure whom to phone or text. I felt panic as I realized I wasn’t sure who I could rely on, aware of a sense of burden. I didn’t have a job yet; how would I support myself and our children? In the dream, I was aware there was a separation that felt as if I had instigated it in order for him to realize our marriage was worth saving. However, him moving on so swiftly made me feel as if I’d made a huge mistake. As I returned home, my neighbor invited me to a cafe to talk. I felt hungry, and junk food was placed in front of me. She wanted the gossip. I felt the urge to share but knew everyone would soon know about my husband leaving.”

REFERENCE:

Viktor Frankl, Man’s Search for Meaning, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0006IU470/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_8Q0BT8KHK0WD6CCPAHWJ

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