Adaptation

Survival of the fittest depends on adaptability, wouldn't you say?  To adapt is to be flexible, to adjust, to let go of rigidity in order to make the best of evolving situations.  If nothing in the natural world stays the same, why do we resist change so much?

On a recent morning, at 4am, I was again awoken by howling coyote.  They come through the pasture across the road from me.  The routine is, I get up, open the window and make "ssssst" noises and shine my mag light around and lately I've been turning on the overhead light in my yoga room; they do not like the light and it sends them scooting.  Then it dawned on me, just before dawn, that I shall leave my yoga room light on all night.  It's not the ideal energy conservationist's solution, but because it's so dark here, the light floods out just past my front gates, and I have a better chance of a well deserved night of uninterrupted sleep.

I can't stop the coyote from doing what they do, but I can lend them a deterrent before they get thinking about howling outside my windows!  With this crafty thought of adaptation for a change in the dynamic in mind, I drifted back off.

We don't realize how much we can adapt.  I guess it's a matter of choice.  Fight like mad to keep your position, usually based on pride and stubbornness, or open up and find another way.

Watching my animals, I see how often and how willingly they adapt.  They trust that if I am asking them to do something different, it's going to work out.  It doesn't take much to set a new routine, just a little communication, confidence and a satisfactory experience.  Their instinct guides them and they don't second guess that.  We can learn something here.

One of the key words on a card I drew the morning of my coyote fix was "adaptation."  It said to make lemonade of lemons, which presumably one would do before the lemons spoil.  So, things do not have to get unbearable before we make a change.  Change is part of life.  It's seasonal.  It's daily.  In fact, it's by the second, isn't it?  If we trust our instinct, our gut, our intuition, any of those you want to use, if we trust ourselves, we can't go wrong.

I did adapt.  I let go of something that had been bugging me for some time now and while it's yet to be seen how it will evolve, I feel like I shed a layer and have a new perspective.  Isn't that the point of adapting?

New Rules #2: The Mother Tongue

New Rule:  You cannot criticize others for not speaking English until you, yourself, have mastered the mother of all languages.

Perhaps it's an impossible quest, but I am on a mission to help as many people as I can to increase their knowledge and correct their use of the English language so someone on the other side doesn't utter "idiot" when they read what was written.

Now, I'm not talking about the common typing error or the often nonsensical translations attributed to Siri. Nor am I talking about the really tricky parts of a very confusing and difficult language to learn.  I am aiming to address the everyday usages that are thought to be correct, quite confidently so, but are gravely incorrect.

Let's get started, shall we!

If you say this phrase out loud, you might see my point:  "It's the most stupidest thing."

"I seen it!"  No, you haven't.

If you pronounce espresso as expresso or exit as eggzit, then I see why you might say and write: "ect."  But please don't do that anymore.

Here's a grammar detox:  For kicks, imagine this conversation without the word "at" at the end:  "An ocean roll? Where can I buy that at?"  You feel lighter already, don't you?

Do you say, "Between you and I" because you feel using "me" would sound arrogant?  Relax, it is between someone else and you, and you are me.  Embrace your inner me.

And my new favorite that has become near and dear to my heart and that which I will have great difficulty giving up: "Holly smokes!"

Hush

The irrigation water has been turned off for the season

The canal is quiet

Sounds are traveling differently now

Wildlife will alter their paths

A point in time has been marked

As we head toward winter hibernation