Monday, October 27, 2014

Adaptation

          Two weeks ago I was on vacation on the North Carolina coast. On one of those days my friend and I took a ferry ride from Harkers Island to Cape Lookout on the Core Banks. On our ride over the ferry captain slowed down so we could see one of the many wild horses that roam and graze on Shackleford Banks.



          He shared with us that prior to 1954 Core Banks and Shackleford Banks were one island. No water separated them. But in October of 1954 Hurricane Hazel came barreling into North Carolina and changed the one island, among other things. It pushed water from the Atlantic Ocean so far in the one island became two. The wild horses home was split into two islands. What the captain said next was very fascinating. The wild horses can be found every night on Core Banks, home of the Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Yet that picture above and below is of a horse on Shackleford Bank.


          Since Hurricane Hazel the horses began, and still do swim across the water from Core Banks; in the am, to Shackleford Banks to graze, and return every evening to sleep on Core Banks. Despite a very devastating hurricane they adapted to their environment and continue to thrive.



          It got me thinking that if wild horses can adapt to a new environment after a storm then we, human beings, can too. The question is will we? In my 42 years of living I have observed two types of personalities when it comes to change. There are those who go with the flow and others who dig their heels in and refuse to change/adjust. I find that the latter group is angry, bitter and down right miserable. We face storms, big and small everyday of our lives, and if we allow ourselves to be flexible and nimble then we will survive the storm and THRIVE just as the Wild horses do today.

Things to remember when deciding how you will let storms shape you:

1 - Happiness and Joy never killed anyone but anger and bitterness surely can.

2 - God can't do anything with you if you are not willing to move and bend to his will.