Skip to main content

Crisis: Defined by Two Characters …

Mar 31, 2020 07:17PM ● By Annette Briggs

Greetings readers! Our late beloved 35th President, John F. Kennedy, very candidly shared some compelling words that are very relevant right now as I pen my thoughts to share with you: “When written in Chinese, the word 'crisis' is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.”

I think it goes without saying that we are all (the world over) staring in the face of a dangerous invisible enemy: COVID-19 (a coronavirus-caused disease), which has catapulted into a full-blown pandemic. Yes, it is elusive; yes, it is potentially life-threatening; and, yes, this elusive, unseen force (at least for now) is changing both life and lifestyles as we know it. The world is a very different place now than it was just weeks ago. This is a health crisis that could touch you, me and even those that we love.

These are the facts, but I want to shift and shove the ever-present “doomsday” thinking that is dominating the headlines to make way for hope and positivity! Folks, the sun will rise again, both literally and proverbially. As Kennedy keenly pointed out through the example of the Chinese word for “crisis,” two characters define its meaning—one for danger, and the one that I want to spend the rest of my time focusing on: the one that represents opportunity.

Dare I say that we are confronted with an opportunity perfectly gift-wrapped in the form of a crisis. How so? Just think back to September 11, arguably one of the darkest days in our nation’s history. As a nation, we were confronted with an unwanted, unsolicited, life-changing crisis that attempted to bully us into fear and despair. The towers fell, lives were lost, the stock market crashed, and everyone feared the “unknowns” of tomorrow. Yet, our nation came together in the face of dark tragedy; every-day heroes emerged from the smoldering ashes of pain even while we mourned. Fear stared at us all … and we overcame.

Now I know that this is a very different situation with many more variables and complexities, for sure. We could see who attacked us on September 11. We could search for a visible enemy and take the fight to its doorstep with resolve—not the case with this foe. It is invisible to the eye, elusive and, oftentimes, seemingly undetected. Even so, I still believe that this is an opportunity to either fall and surrender to our fears, or with the same determination that fueled our motivation after September 11, rise and conquer, knowing that the sun will rise again.

How … you might ask? Start by turning fear into action—remain calm. Be wise with your health and lifestyle choices, and listen to those in authority that are monitoring and working to develop solutions and effective action steps and strategies that will help turn the tide and restore normalcy. Remain positive and composed, understanding the best use of your time is to focus on what you can do to fight back against this invisible health terrorist. In addition, maintain a good health regimen undergirded by smart nutritional choices. This will help provide the much-needed support the body’s immune system needs. And lastly, stay informed. In fact, the magazine that you are either holding in your hands right now or reading online contains a wealth of helpful information, products and services provided by my editorial team and my partnering advertisers.

Yes … there are two characters; however, only one of them will bring us to victory. Let’s focus on it and win!

In it together,

Annette Briggs    


Read The Digital Issue Here!
NA of Columbia Facebook!
We Are Natural Awakenings!
The Benefits of Aerobic Exercise!
Global Brief!
Health Brief!
Click To Start Your Journey!