Week 8...Family in Crisis

Crises will come to all families.  We all like to think it won’t or at least hope it won’t, but it is inevitable. Some families will have bigger crises than others. However, the way a family copes with crisis will determine the outcome. The way a family uses their resources and how they react to a crisis will determine how they define an event. One family can have a crisis that many would think unbearable and come out stronger and closer because of it.  However, another family could be faced with a less severe crisis and have their family come apart over it.  It all depends on how they cope.

In order to explain what it means to cope, we can use a simple tool called a coping saw.  This small saw is used to cut out details in a piece of wood that will make one piece fit into another piece seamlessly. Coping can be defined as making pre-planned adjustments so that things will fit under pressure.  When the pressure is on, or we can call it a crisis, having the proper coping tools will help our families make adjustments so that we can fit properly into the new situation.

Another interesting way to look at crisis is to look at it as a challenge that requires decisions. The Chinese word for crisis is made up of two characters, the character for Danger and the character for Opportunity.  I thought this was a marvelous way to consider a crisis, as a dangerous situation that gives opportunity!