The Definition of Crisis

Never a Bad Decision, originally uploaded by ilina s.

This week I was reading an interview with Naomi Judd and she said something great. She said, "You're only a victim once, after that you're a volunteer." Of course, she was talking about something different, but I think it applies to birth.

If you feel victimized by a birth experience, for whatever reason, and you go down the same path again, you are a volunteer. That is not to say that if the outcome of your next birth is the same, that you were a victim again. I know women who have had repeat emergency caesarians, however, the second time, they weren't victims. They made empowered choices and took responsibility for them. The difference is in ownership. When we educate ourselves and nurture that connection with our source--the source of all of our innate wisdom and all truth--there is power. And peace.

If you have been a victim in the past, don't beat yourself up about it. Just move on and don't volunteer anymore. Sometimes, for whatever reason, trauma is in our karma. I know it was in mine. I had to learn some hard lessons early so that I could then go on to fulfill my mission. Sometimes it takes a crisis to create a catalyst for change. The Chinese definition of crisis is actually danger+opportunity. I think that's wonderful. Dangerous opportunity.

Last night, several long time California residents and I were reminiscing about the 1994 earthquake. During the the 1994 earthquake in Southern California, I was living about 5-10 miles from the epicenter. The thing we all remembered and articulated was, "We all became friends." And we did. It seems like the oddest thing to me now, because my current neighborhood is great. But I have lived in apartment buildings and neighborhoods where I didn't know anyone, and in fact, tried not to know to anyone. But after the '94 earthquake, everyone came together. Our neighbors suddenly became very important parts of our lives.

I seem to have had many of these same kind of experiences in my life--many personal natural disasters if you will. On of these dangerous opportunities happened during my pregnancy when I was unceremoniously abandoned. I got to know a lot of people. I learned to accept help. I was open to God's help. I was open to positive change. I found out I had a lot of friends, and a whole world of opportunity.

Please share your thoughts or dangerous opportunities.