Adaptation!

Photo Credit: Fanpop.com

Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

I love this phrase!  Usually when we hear it, I think most of us take it quite literally.  Death and disability are fairly easy to quantify.

But I think there are other, more subtle times (like maybe, 'other circumstances'!) where these principles come into play.  

I know with this last pregnancy, I was really sick in the beginning and at the end I couldn't stand on my feet for very long.  My family had to adapt.  My husband managed everything when he got home from work, on top of putting in his 40 hours those weeks.  The children took over the cooking and cleaning.  I was relegated to directing the work from the couch, when I wasn't sleeping!  Some women do that EVERY pregnancy!!  (We love them for their bravery, faith, and dedication.  Way to go Diana!---not to mention friendship.)

Early in our marriage, after graduating from college, we went for 10 months without a job.  It was very difficult and we had to adapt.  Some families live with mental illness that wasn't obvious or known when the couple married.  That requires some (lots of) adaptation and support from extended family.

Let's face it, whenever life doesn't turn out how we hoped or planned, adjustments need to be made from everyone.  Death , disability (mental or physical), illness, infertility, unemployment and a host of other things may necessitate being flexible in our expectations about the workings of daily life.

I watched Benny and Joon for the first time this week.  Not that he handled it in a completely healthy way, but I loved the portrayal of Benny's sacrifices to care for his sister and to work with her, within the sphere of her functioning.  I loved the addition of Sam to their routine and his challenges.  Specifically, when there was time and space for growth, I enjoyed how all of the characters changed and adapted.  Granted, I wish it had been more in accordance with the Family Proclamation principles.....oh Hollywood!

I guess my point is:  we ALL must be flexible and make some allowances while doing the best we can to mirror the ideal (more thoughts in this post) the prophets teach about.