Surviving on Half a Cup of Water

He endured unimaginable persecution,
yet he survived—
driven by a purpose he believed was given by God:
to expose the horrors of the Nazi regime.
To preserve his dignity as a human being,
he drank only half of the water rationed to him each day,
saving the rest to wash his face.
He shaved with a shard of glass.
And he never spoke words of despair.
That strength of spirit helped him survive
until the day Auschwitz was liberated.
This is the story of Viktor Frankl,
author of Man’s Search for Meaning.
Half a cup of water helped him hold onto his humanity
and endure the unthinkable.
When we refuse to let go of hope and self-respect,
even in the darkest moments,
we find a way to live.
In the act of washing with that half cup of water,
we glimpse the fierce flame of life.

dignity, hope, endurance