Adapt

 

Through the years of growing up, one adapts to the surroundings. This includes cultural and climate changes.

With age, there are reflections of adapting through the years.

The first adaption is fitting into a family. You are too little and without any power, so you must obey those bigger than you. They provided food and shelter and gave directions on how to walk and talk and poop. That is what families do.

The second adaption was being enrolled into education. Unless your parents were homeschooling, you (and many others your age) were assigned to a building and then divided into classrooms where a person of knowledge was presenting information to you as you sat at your desk quietly and absorbed every word only to be tested to see if you were paying attention.

This was the time of adapting with other individuals that are not family. We all bond under the tutelage and the class room number. We experiment and compete against others who are not familiar and learn socialization.

As we process through the educational system, we adapt into pacts of friends among the classmates. These are the people you will eat lunch with.

By high school, the groups of acceptability have become cliques requiring more than just jokes and palling around. Each student had to decide whether to adapt or not. Did you go to the prom?

The next adaption is either start meaningful employment or voyage into higher education. Either usually takes you away from the family core and make daily decisions.

To adapt to the world requires meeting new people you would not have associated with before. Seeing new traditions, listening to new languages and ideas, tasting different foods, bonding and romantic connections or conquest.

I adapted to an office. Closeted gays, unattractive older women and a super load of white misogamy. Also adapted into drinking as a reward for coping all day with the ridiculous interactions, but it paid the bills. I adapted to relearn everything I’d been taught, with new techniques and tools.

I adapted to living with another person. A roommate with perks. I adapted through an affair. I adapted to buying a house. I adapted to buying a car. I adapted to disco. I adapted to Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, Gay Rights, etc. I adapted to riots in the streets. I adapted to mass shootings in schools. I adapted to girls who want to be boys without just temporarily dressing us. I adapted to eternal wars.

I adapted to a divorce and living alone. I adapted to the digital age.

I adapted to a seduction that lasted 25 years. I’ve adapted to death. I am adapting to old age.

The next generation will take many of these items as regular occurrences deciding whether to wear a mask or not. Will mankind adapt to climate change or go the way of the dinosaurs? Will they continue to procreate until the food runs out? Will they continue to fill the air with smog until the sun can’t show through? Will there be polar bears? Will all the losers still be sore?

Seems I’m getting some new neighbors. Can I adapt to them? Can they adapt to me? Will they have a free ranch cat? Will they have screaming kids or barking dogs? Will they throw wild loud parties?

Changes continue to happen. Living is how we adapt?