Monday, August 02, 2010

Adapting



When you are old and Wisdom is the only best friend whom you can trot out eagerly to show others the closeness of your friendship, he usually brings Adaptation along for the ride.  Life will be hell if Adaptation does not hang close.  Adaptation insures that you will not be crabby, tired, or out of touch on the rest of the long journey ahead.  It is the best second friend you will ever have.

I once attended a conference on algology.  (Look that up in your Funk and Wagnells or if you bring along Adaptation you can Google it.  And yes, I saw that yawn.)  Anyway, I am not an expert in this area, but found one of the lectures most fascinating.  It was a discussion how oceanic cellular algae adapts to predators and diseases.  When something starts munching or invading, the algal plant later adds toxins or bitterness to the new growth to discourage more grazing.  Trees and other plants also use this adapting technique.  Howler monkeys in Belize can graze the new leaves in the tree tops in the spring for food, but later in the season the leaves are toxic and will make them ill.  

I have been thinking of this in my flower gardening.  If a plant is being eaten I remove the pest, but if I cannot find the pest I wait and see if it is going to continue to graze.  Many times I notice it usually only hits the tender new growth for a short time, and I am guessing that is because the plant becomes bitter or hard to eat.  This doesn't work for Japanese beetles or other non-indigenous bugs, and I have made the decision that it is because it takes some lengthy evolutionary time for the plant to adapt to the new threat and produce something the bug doesn't like.   So my great grandchild may find the Japanese beetle not as irritating as I do.

You can be a stubborn warrior as you get attacked with age and all of its physical and mental difficulties and changes.  But, if you want to enjoy the rest of the ride, you must compromise and find new ways to adapt to the handicaps.  I like being around people who accept what cannot be changed, keep a sense of humor about it all, but also find some new way (or several adaptations) around the problem and then go forward and get on with the rest of their life. 

14 comments:

  1. I guess I should pull the covers up and over me because I put remay (a gauzy white plant cover material) over my new little plants in the garden to keep those bugs away. I also eat blue green algae, very healthy.

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  2. I figure you may as well laugh as cry, otherwise you wouldn't be able to see for the tears!

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  3. Who said, "Change is inevitable; growth is optional"?

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  4. Wonder if WE get bitter and harder to 'eat' as we get older????? Interesting post, Tabor. You are quite a 'thinker'.... That's why I love your posts so much...

    I guess animals adapt to their surroundings the best way they can... Just wish SOMEONE would find something else for the Japanese Beetles to eat other than our Roses!!!!! They need to 'adapt' to another source of food... ha ha

    We humans 'have' to adapt to the circumstances around us... IF we don't , then that's when problems mount up for us. I had to 'adapt' to the fact that I couldn't walk for a few months. That was VERY hard---but I had to change my 'poor me' attitude and just work harder to get well...

    Life is all about our attitude ---and as you say, ADAPTING to the things which happen to us and around us....

    Great post.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  5. Evolution in plants and animals solves many problems, but it's up to us to evolve and solve our own.

    Betsy has it right; attitude and adaption are the secrets to a happy old age.

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  6. Anonymous4:24 PM

    I just had this a conversation about adapting to the age with a friend yesterday. She is almost a decade younger and can't image yet, giving up any of her daily activities.

    When my birthday comes around in november, I will be 60. And, I may be bending less, but certainly more in tune with life, and my garden, than ever.

    I agree with your bug muncher theory, Even the deer and turkey taste, and move on.

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  7. Adapting to age is a much better idea than fighting the inevitable. Thanks for stirring the little grey cells!

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  8. Thanks Tabor - as we age - we better adapt and accept or we will be miserable.
    The beatles - I have almost given up. They sure love my beginning woods garden.

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  9. I sure didn't adapt to anything sunday. Doing far more normally today tho.

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  10. So true. It's also something animals tend to do without much thought. We'd be wise to follow suit.

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  11. Change is good, adapting to change can be interesting. A friend & I where discussing this the other day, and concluded we are just gett'n so much smarter in our adapting...and a whole lot funnier...

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  12. Love your attitude here!

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  13. I truly enjoy your provocative thoughts. Seems like change and adaption becomes a craft to master.

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Take your time...take a deep breath...then hit me with your best shot.