Adaptation

How many times have we been dealt with difficult situations that we consider to be beyond our capabilities? But somehow we begin to accept it and face it, and then grow into adjusting to surviving through it, having to see things from a different light. This article was shared with us at work today.

As heard on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday, April 27, 2008.

Adapting to the Possibilities of Life
by Donald Rosenstein

I believe in adaptation — that is, the same stimulus does not invariably elicit the same response over time.

The first time I saw my son flap his arms, I nearly threw up.

My son Koby was 2 at the time, and he and my wife and I were at an evening luau in Hawaii. Dancers emerged from the dark twirling torches to loud, rhythmic drumbeats. I thought it was exciting and so did Koby. He began to flap his arms — slowly, at first, and then with an intensity that mirrored the movement of the dancers.

In an instant, I was overwhelmed. I knew just enough about arm-flapping to know that it was characteristic of autism. I was confused, panicked and strangely preoccupied with the fear that I would never play tennis with my son as I had with my father. That one movement took on immediate, powerful and symbolic meaning: Something was terribly wrong with my boy.  Read the entire story.

Persistence. Persistence. Persistence.

Quoted from Sparkpeople.com

“We keep hearing about how persistence is often the key to success. But what do you do when you’ve been striving for so long that it seems like your goal is never going to see light? How do you deal with the fear that you’re about to fail? Simple. Give it just one more shot. And then one more. Think about the sweat and time you’ve committed already. You’ve come this far, you’d be unfair to yourself if you quit without a fight. Even if the odds are way out of your favor and you can’t see how it can possibly help, reach out and take one last swing. You never know what will happen. Big, meaningful achievements don’t just happen when everything goes your way. How many times have you seen tennis players make miraculous winning shots while lunging for a ball that seemed impossible to reach? Sometimes, you can find victory in the effort.”

Skidboot

“If God gives me a thunderstorm I’m going to thank him.  If he gives me a blind dog, it just means me and Skidboot can have more personal time together.  We’re not gonna begrudge any-thing.  Life is too precious to be upset, and this dog, I will hand lead him everywhere when he’s so blind he can’t get around.  It won’t bother me at all, I love this dog.”