"Improvise, adapt, overcome" (Clint Eastwood, "Heartbreak Ridge, 1986)

"Thanks for adapting, for being a good sport" (high school custodian, 8-15-21)

Triad, tried: Whether issued from an iconic actor playing the gunnery sergeant (we should all have one, need one when preparing to enter a hellacious battle), or offered as a way of apology from a local protector of public property, the quotes bring to mind the unofficial slogan of the United States Marine Corps, and three critical components for meeting the larger challenges in life, such as those I often write about here -- including, but exclusive to, the persistent pandemic associated with a virus and its variant(s). We all have these in us to varying degrees and there are both universal and personal circumstances we can relate to, which have called upon them. As well as people in our lives, perhaps not quite as 'charismatic' as Clint, who have tired to motivate, call us out in such times. If only he had been around to prep us right before all this mess befell us, to put us through the paces, toughen us up. Short of this, after many months of dealing with so many changes collectively and individually, I invite you to a brief self-appraisal (slightly 'out of order', "Sorry gunnery sergeant"). So how have you been faring with:

Without, Until Further Notice: How have you been adapting, responding, maneuvering, pivoting, turning on a dime, recalibrating, modifying plans or expectations...when so many changes came upon us abruptly! Changes in schedules, routines, curtailed contact and travel...people places, and things we took for granted now all in shorter supply, availability. So how have you been doing, coping with all this? In my encounter with the high school custodian (whose credentials were evident on the side of his pickup truck from which he did not exit), I had just worked through the disappointment of being locked out of a local high school track I frequent, and was in the midst of resetting expectations, adapting the parking lot to semi suit my needs, and he, driving by (initially I thought he was going to issue an invitation to leave altogether), issued the captioned combo apology/thank you. After which I felt welcome, appreciated, but not a poster child in adapting, as I was still feeling like I was in the 'lap of luxury' compared to what others both near and far were enduring, adapting to, including the complete loss of family, homes, and basic resources. How you doing here?

Problem-solving, Unconventionally: As in "he relied on his unconventional problem-solving, brain over brawn, improvisations to beat the baddies and save lives", as depicted by Angus MacGyver (played originally by Richard Dean Anderson from 1985-1992 and Lucas Till in the reboot from 2016-2021). No matter which "MacGyver" generation you identify with, we witnessed ingenuity under fire (whereas he had none, gun that is), in coming up with some pretty cool contraptions from a bunch of junk lying around, wherever he found himself. Boggled the mind, engaged our imaginations. Lots of stuff started getting dragged out of closets (like lots of folks started cleaning closets, basements, garages early in the pandemic) in an attempt to emulate Angus, which frequently gave parents fits when the junk turned out to be just bigger pieces of junk. But occasionally, it did inspire us for later on, spurred our imaginations to think less conventionally, outside the box for how we might use what was in it...for situations that called for it, such as when we have less access to 'stuff' we traditionally rely on to sustain us. I shared here months ago now how a trip to hardware store during their limited hours with their limited supplies netted me a few cinder blocks and a steel post, altogether which put me back about 35$, way less than a conventional weight set cost when conventional sets were not available...which became part of my outdoor 'pandemic playground', and which in turn netted me "Atta boy!" from a few passersby (who likely thought otherwise). And some semi-edible recipes from leftover stuff in the pantry when the local grocery store either curtailed their hours or there was supply chain interruptus (we can all testify). As to how you/I improvised when TP was short, due less to supply chain than overdemand, well...Collectively, even my successes pale in comparison to those of MacGyver, as well as to those who, like Angus, had to literally improvise to save lives early in the pandemic when their life protective, life saving resources were in meager supply, such as those health care workers in ER's, ICU's...So what have you/I learned that might be incorporated into our problem solving for the months and years to come?

Shall, will, did: So, what type of physical, mental, and/or spiritual challenges have you endured in the past several months in particular, and just where are you/we in overcoming: persevering through, finding meaning not because of these COVID circumstances (or those personal to you), but despite the conditions? A good question to ponder and one we'll all have to answer at some point or another. No one among us will ever celebrate the pandemic, but together (once again) we can prevail in the form of taking what we have learned about these circumstances and ourselves forward...TBD...