The Chinese character for CONFLICT is identical to that of OPPORTUNITY.

It could be likened to an oft heard saying…”When one door closes, another one opens”. You are in over your head in debt; you have turned your telephone to silent and you quiver when you open the mailbox. The whole family is on edge and there is bickering about even the nickels that are spent.

While it IS hard to sometimes imagine…you can make this an opportunity. How about an evening of family games instead of movies and the mall? How about getting creative with chicken and hamburger… a contest about the most original recipe? You could designate time for building the family relationships.

There is a wonderful little book…”Getting to Know you” by Jeanne McSweeney & Charles Leocha that ”. . . is intended to be a catalyst for intriguing and insightful conversations. Many of these questions are suitable for all the family or tailor them for your own needs.

What ability do you wish you had that you do not? If you could choose your own first name, what would it be? If, like the characters in the Wizard of Oz, you could choose a heart, courage, or a brain….which would you choose?

The more you can really learn about each other and really talk…the more you will experience the ability to talk about the more difficult issues confronting you.

A challenge: Every family member make a list of all the ways the present crisis can be turned into an opportunity…share it, play with it, work it!!!

—Marcia