Place in occupational science: A life course perspective on the role of environmental context in the quest for meaning

The ultimate focus of each human life is a search for meaning. Building on the perspective of Victor Frankl, I suggest that this involves four overlapping domains: achieving a sense of worth through occupation, experiencing fulfillment through interpersonal relationship, exercising the ability to choose one's course of action, and, through the process of simply "being," developing understanding and acceptance of one's place in the cosmos. At different stages of life each of these domains has different manifestations and assumes a different level of priority. The trajectory of the quest for meaning is shaped by personal circumstances and by context – the places in which the individual lives out his or her life. Adopting a life course perspective, an autobiographical analysis of the integrative relationship between place and person in the discovery and creation of meaning is presented. Emphasis is placed on the potential of each individual to proactively discover and create meaning through the manipulation of place. The fledgling discipline of occupational science might usefully focus on developing deeper insight into the evolving rapprochement of person and place in the search for meaning as expressed through the four domains. This would not only provide a theoretical focus and agenda for empirical inquiry but also facilitate developing environment‐focused practice strategies which support and nurture the continuing search for meaning that remains the core motivation of each person regardless of their circumstances.