‘It is not the smartest or the strongest who survive, it is the most adaptable’. I heard this earlier in the week and have pondered the words for days.

As I set out cycling on the roads of Accra I was invariably faced with the challenge of navigating some smooth roads and some bumpy roads. The skills required to have a comfortable ride varied with the type of road.

Yes I had to watch out for cars. But I also had to adjust my focus. I realised that on smooth roads I was able to look much farther ahead. On bumpy roads I had to look down to avoid riding into holes that could throw me off course.

Same journey, different requirements along the way.

Adaptation; the process of change by which an organism becomes better suited to its environment.

I know my ride is small in comparison to some of the seemingly insurmountable challenges that come along life’s journey. But I hope the illustration brings home the fact that on this journey we will sometimes need to adapt to survive and keep going.