The world is changing, and how we adapt could lead to either our success or demise.

In the past few weeks, I heard news reports indicating that many of the Wal-Mart greeters will loose their jobs as well as many in the retail industry.

More and more of us are turning to the Internet to shop making it impossible for some businesses to stay afloat.

While I have been saddened by the loss of these brick and mortar stores, I have to confess, I am in part responsible for their failure.

Like many, I too, shop on-line.

With a busy schedule, the convenience of using the Internet has proved invaluable when time was of the essence.

While I am a shopper who generally likes to touch and feel the merchandise I purchase, sometimes it was just easier to order online.

And I know if I continue with this practice, alone, as many others could do, there may come a time that virtual shopping will be the only thing offered.

That is unless businesses learn to adapt.

A couple of years ago one of my superiors gave a fine example of this following a situation where several of the employees here at the Post had to be let go.

As unfortunate and sad as the situation was, he said, as technology evolves, to stay afloat and current, companies must figure out ways to adjust, and the example he gave had to do with horses and automobiles.

There was a time, he said, that horses had been used as the main mode of transportation. That was until the invention of the automobile.

And when cars and trucks began taking over the roads, there wasn’t as much use for those who were blacksmiths.

For these laborers who were noticing this trend and chose to modify their business and transitioned from shoeing horses to becoming mechanics — they survived.

But for those who dug in their heels and refused to acknowledge change was coming, well these guys didn’t fare as well.

So how do business stay current?

Here at the Post we are trying to move more and more to the Web. Young people don’t pick up a print newspaper, they turn to their cell phones or Internet devises for news.

For brick and mortar retailers, the goal will be to become creative with their offerings.

My daughter who is in interior design school has already had a project where she had to create a retail store that offers perks to lure in buyers. For instance her design included a cigar and wine bar. She said in the future it would be all about the “shopping experience.”

And for those needing to totally revamp their careers due to change, on-line schools are available.

Hubby is on faculty at one, and it is amazing how you can live anywhere in the world and seek out an education.

Though grieving can be in order when times change, we surely have to recognize once we adjust, life can be better.

I for one can’t imagine what my life would be like if I had to ride a horse to work!

Terri Cowart Frazier is a staff writer at The Vicksburg Post. Readers are invited to submit their opinions for publication.