Friday, March 8, 2013

The Family Under Stress

All families encounter crisis and conflicts. It's inevitable. The extent of the conflict or crisis vary between families, as well as does the reaction and result of the family and the dynamic. There are really two results that can occur after a family crisis-a centrifugal spiral (families pull away from each other) or a centripetal spiral (families come closer together). The hope is that families grow closer together and have a stronger bond because they have experienced a crisis together and have worked through it the best way possible.

When I think of a family in crisis, I think of on family in-particular. I have known this family as long as I can remember. I grew up across the street from the Browns (name's have been changed) when my family lived in Colorado Springs, CO. I love this family dearly. Their only daughter, Nora, and I have been best friends since I was only a year old. About a year and a half ago, the Brown's second son, James, died while serving in the Army over seas. He was only 25 years old. It is of no shock to say that this family went through an incredible crisis. Losing a son and a brother is something that no parent should have to do and no sibling would want to do. From an outside perspective, it appeared as if, through this incredible crisis, the Brown's became closer to one another and began to more heavily rely on each other. I saw them declare love for one another than I had ever seen them declare once before. The Brown's very well could have pulled apart from each other. They could have shut down and relied on friends rather than family. But the pulled together instead.

Not all crisis' are this severe, but through any and all crisis' a family can pull together or pull apart. My hope is that in my family, we will be able to rely on one another and grow closer when ever we go through a crisis.

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