Today, we talked about what can happen when a family experiences stress.  Lauer and Lauer, in Marriage & Family: The Quest for Intimacy, the 8th edition, published in 2012, write, "In fact, it is possible to turn the crisis into something that yields long-term, positive consequences...Reframing, or redefining the meaning of something, is a way of changing your perspective on a situation.  It isn't the situation that is changed but the way you look at it...You can see a crisis as an intruder that has robbed you of a measure of peace and happiness, or you can define the crisis as an obstacle that will ultimately lead to your growth as you overcome it..." (pp. 299; 304).  I want to use the concept of reframing for a couple of events that happened in my life.  I played basketball in high school, but it was a constant struggle.  I had multiple teammates that picked on me, which greatly decreased my self-esteem and confidence.  Looking back on those experiences and through conversations that I have had with my parents, I now see that I wouldn't be who I am today without that difficulty.  I feel for the underdog or for those who get left out.  In addition, I am very against bullying and will work hard to prevent it from occuring in my future classroom.  In addition, I also hurt my back while playing basketball.  I suffered from pain for a long time, but no one could figure out what was wrong with me.  This experience greatly increased my testimony of my Heavenly Father and Savior.  They know us and love us.  There were several times when I knew I wasn't alone.  Also, I was able to get through two semesters of college and a summer of work while suffering from mono.  Again, the experience gave me the opportunity to see the Lord's hand in my life, and also to feel more compassionate towards others who are suffering as well.  In addition, these experienes taught me a valuable lesson; I can do hard things!