“Improvise, Adapt, Overcome” is an unofficial slogan among Marines made popular by Clint Eastwood's movie, Heartbreak Ridge. As we look back at 2020 and forward to 2021 at the same time, it seems to me it can and should be applied to the lives of each of us.

2020, for sure, was a year of improvising. In March, the world as we know it was turned upside down as the nation and much of the world shut down as the result of Covid. We were told all kinds of things causing many of us to fear for our very lives. We had to overcome, not only the fear, but the changes in our lifestyles forced upon us. We had to adapt to the new reality.

Covid made us realize this on a global style. In reality, improvising, adapting, and overcoming is a way of life for each of us. It is, usually, quite personal, affecting us individually rather than as an entire culture. We lose our jobs, move across country or the world. We or a family member gets sick, we lose a loved one, we have an accident, fire or other loss.

We, as humans, are, by nature, a resilient lot. Our creator has built it into our very DNA. We, by our very nature, are able to adapt to life situations and move on. It is not easy. For some, it can be extremely difficult and even feel impossible. We must believe in someone bigger than we are. We must believe it can be done (with his help). We must truly want to.

As we move into 2021, there will be many other situations and events that will be difficult to deal with, situations out of our control. Let us not get stuck in the proverbial mud. Let us improvise, let us adapt, and let us overcome them, one at a time.

Happy New Year