Crisis: Danger and Opportunity


The topic for this week was crisis. In the Chinese language, the symbol for crisis means danger and opportunity. Crisis means danger because things are in danger of changing from what they were. These can include our family structure, finances, hope, and opportunities. We are also in danger of changing ourselves, for good or for bad. When change and crisis happen, people do not always accept or move on from it. It also means opportunity because even when bad things happen, good things can come of the situation. There are opportunities to grow closer together as a family (or whomever is going through the crisis), serve those around us or those in a crisis themselves, build our faith and testimony, and build our faith and trust in others. 
What crises you go through in your life will forever have an impact on you—whether it is good or bad it is up to you. Because of this, you can choose to learn from it and grow or to let it control your life and have a hold on you. We can view a crisis in one of two ways: as a stepping stone or as a stumbling block. How a crisis is viewed will shape the way that you do what you and also why you do those things. Everywhere in the world, people are going through crises and we are not aware of it. It is so easy for people to fall apart, but what makes going through a crisis easier is knowing that you have someone there to stay with you and pick you up.
            A crisis is also a permanent change (in the family structure)—things will never be as they once were. Because of this, accommodations in the family will have to be made to make up for what has been lost—the way of life has been altered. By doing this, the family system can be improved. When this happens, everyone can benefit from it—they learn how to do things that they did not before. 
            A family scholar, Rueben Hill, came up with a family crisis model that he called the ABCX model. A stands for the actual event, or the stressor event. B stands for both resources and response. C stands for cognitions. X stands for the total experience, also known as the crisis. The actual event is the stressor event which is something that puts stress on the family or relationship. People do not always know how to apply the resources that are available to them, but there are many things in our lives that are resources. These include: other family members, church/religion; however, not every church has this function. Cognition is thought—how people think about and define the stressor in their lives; it also includes feelings, attitudes, and perspectives. The way that the crisis and stressor is talked about within the family and the way we feel about it makes an enormous difference in what we do.
            Stressor events, and the tension they bring, affect all those around you and send ripples through family, friends, and extended family—every piece of the system is affected. Because of this, it is important to hold on tighter, shift your weight, and not let go of family members who has a stressor event in their life. Members of the family adjust the system, making it possible to go back to equilibrium. People are not pushed farther apart, instead they pull together and work through it. Stressors can be different and not as harmful in the long run if there is a changed mindset, good communication between people in any relationship, resources are utilized, and you do not get caught up in the events. On the other hand, people are not perfect and mistakes happen. These mistakes can lead to failures that can set us up for success later because we learn from the problems that we face and what we can do different next time.

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