Adapting To Change

Holding Pattern

Have you ever been cruising along the paths of life and suddenly, everything just STOPS? I know COVID is a good example, but let’s put this distraction aside for a moment and consider many other matters that can catapult our lives into a “HOLDING PATTERN.”

As this relates to air travel, a HOLDING Pattern is a route followed by an aircraft above or near an airport while it “WAITS” to land. The source may be due to bad weather which causes reduced visibility, a saturation of air traffic during peak travel times, or runway closures.

Passengers and crew members are imprisoned above the earth until the air traffic controllers release the jetliner for the landing approach. A scenario such as this could take hours and the end result would usually cause missed flights or extensive delays. Sometimes the captain has to abandon the pattern and deviate to another city because fuel reserves are running low.

When faced with such an occurrence onboard a flight, passengers become angry, impatient, irritable, confrontational, resentful and the list goes on! Eventually, your flight arrives at “A” destination. Bear in mind that I said “A” destination, not your destination. Destiny is not always about OUR choosing!

HOLDING in itself is not an inconvenience for the most part. Mirriam Webster defines HOLDING PATTERN as, “a state of WAITING or SUSPENDED activity.”

The pilgrimage through existence consists of our tireless attempts to attain destiny our own way. Even our greatest efforts encounter delayed progress that induce anger, impatience, and resentment. When we are in the HOLDING state, we would be greatly benefited, if we would allow the development of what we need to align with God’s timing.

It would appear that sometimes, dreams are SUSPENDED by outside influences and we dare not look inside to recognize that WAITING expectantly is incorporated in the process of time. Being in a HOLDING PATTERN permits us to gain perspective, reveal our capabilities, redirect our lives or in some cases, even save our lives.

Even when intentions are not what we have planned, examine the great possibilities when JOURNEY lands us in strange and foreign places. The adaptation in the experience will reap great rewards.

Proverbs 16:9, “We can make our plans, but God determines our steps.” (NLT)

Embracing Change

Reroute

I can remember many times during my airline career as a Flight Attendant, being sent to an unintended destination due to severe storms or some type of aircraft mechanical problem.

A ten hour work day would quickly become sixteen hours on duty! Then came the most dreaded assignment relayed to crew members from Flight Crew Scheduling- “You have been rerouted to another city.” Our expectations were shattered, especially if we had plans for enjoying a great escape to a favored metropolitan destination.

For example, my flight crew was prepared to land in a more desirable city, but realizing we had to accept the alternate assignment, led us to seize this opportunity by utilizing some hidden treasures in ourselves that had never been exposed. Some by products that came into view were patience, creativity, gratitude and determination.

We used our tools of annual training to navigate the challenges of those changes that necessitated employing a different operation. Highly effective interpersonal skills were very important to help passengers deal with missed flights, lost baggage, etc. We had the opportunity to apply the knowledge we had accumulated from our experiences throughout our tenure of service.

The entire process of a reroute demanded that we adapted to each stage using a different approach. The adaptation process would consist of downgrading or upgrading to a different aircraft, which in some instances an aircraft no one had ever even set foot in. Additionally, we’d switch airport terminals/gates sporadically, two to three times within a matter of minutes, or just sat on the tarmac with passengers for six hours or more.

I’ve come to understand that in my life’s journey, humans adapt to almost anything, but what became essentially clear, is that everything in life must change – often times for a greater purpose.

Changes are REROUTES in our journey to help us discover and rediscover, our strengths, frailties, and capabilities. This is why we must embrace change and grasp the notion that we are transformed by how we adapt. In most circumstances, our minds must be retrained to center on how each experience qualifies us to be productive at any stage of our lives.

Author, Pastor and motivational speaker John Maxwell says, “Change is inevitable, growth is optional.”

You and I can choose to embrace change and not neglect its true value. If the seasons of our lives do not encounter change, we could not appreciate the blessings in each season as an opportunity to impact the world, with our mission, assigned by God.

Adapting To Change

Jet Stream

If you are a weather groupie like me, you are extremely fascinated by changes in weather patterns and how they cause us to tailor our everyday lives.

The phenomenon responsible for these changes is referred to as the “JET STREAM.”

Let’s define this phrase before we move on. Simply put, Jet Streams are bands of strong wind that generally blow from opposite directions all across the earth. They impact weather, air travel and many other things that take place in our atmosphere.

Aviators must calculate flight plans that require adjusting fuel, airspeed and altitude regulated by the intensity and position of the Jet Stream. These calculations will often result in early/late arrival to the intended destination, avoidance of severe turbulence, alternate routes, or in some instances, a flight diversion. (landing in an unintended destination)

When we are faced with Jet streams of life, it is imperative to redesign our course. One thing is certain, Jet streams will always be with us-around the globe and in our souls!

Think about how you will adapt when you encounter strong winds of life blowing from one day to the next day or even from one minute to the next minute.

Jesus told His disciples of the Jet Streams they would encounter in the world. He charted their paths by giving them tools to help them adapt-truth, joy and peace. These would help them navigate successfully around the issues that challenged them.

In the last verse of John 16:33 Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

Take one day at a time, to determine in prayer the adjustments you need to construct, to continue on this journey.

Jet streams of life will propel us or slow us down or send us in another direction altogether. We have the capability given to us by faith in God which allows the fine tuning of our destination!