Ampersand Answers: Adapting to Change

Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.
Stephen Hawking
36D Clue in The New York Times’ Daily Crossword

The Question: 

How can I adapt to change in this world? 

&mpersand Answers: 

We love to measure intelligence. I lost track of the number of IQ tests I took as a child. What can I say? I was a smarty-pants, and school looked like paradise compared to home. Sue me. 

Stephen Hawking’s definition, though, brought me into full pause.  

We love to play life as if it’s a control game, and further, that it’s our job to control our own lives. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, it’s a set-up for total failure. 

The only constant is change, Belovèd. 

Like it? Fine. Don’t like it? Fine, too. Still, it’s a law, an absolute, a true truism. Change is the name of the game here on Earth.  

And still we resist it. We behave as though life “shouldn’t” change. Why? Because we’ve been trained that way. When the truth is SO MUCH EASIER. 

Change happens. The good, the bad, the ugly, the indifferent. 

Using our inherent intelligence to adapt to change is the only kind choice. It’s the easiest. It’s the most graceful. It’s the most fun (not kidding!) The Latin roots of the word intelligence mean to understand. 

Do you know what this means? It means, dear one, that whatever your level of understanding, if you’ll use it to adapt to change, is exactly the level you need. Talk about intelligent. 

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