Whether you've lost a loved one, going through a divorce, dealing with an unexpected serious health problem, or facing a parenting problem, crises come to us all. Crises interrupt our usual daily course, throwing us out of balance and out of our routine, and throw us into a variety of feelings. Our feelings can include fear, worry, panic, disappointment, guilt, anger, and sadness and make us aware of our vulnerability and limits.
Crises demand our attention.
Recognizing and honoring feelings is an important beginning in understanding the crisis. Naming what you feel and making a time and place to take them seriously is good stewardship of yourself, of others, and of the situation. Knowing what you feel can also be another step - that of using the feelings to plan a course of action to deal constructively with the crisis. Sometimes it helps to write feelings down or to keep a journal of them. Many people benefit from talking to a trusted friend, therapist, or pastor about their feelings.