Choose your own Personality

By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author, Speaker, Instructor, Radio Host

When I was in Junior High School back during the late seventies, and early eighties, a series of books emerged that caught my attention.  They were called "Choose Your Own Adventure."  I was already an avid reader, and once I began to sink my teeth into these books, they definitely became a favorite of mine.

The books are written as various kinds of adventures, but you are the star of the stories.  Through the various tales, you are prompted numerous times to make a decision.  You decisions may, on the pages of the books, lead to a horrible demise, or a richly rewarded ending.  It's your choice.

My eight-year-old grandson, Ezekiel, and his sister Alexya who is a few years younger, are totally into books.  Now that Ezekiel getting to the point of knowing how to read, his interest in books is growing.  He asked me about the Hunchback of Notre Dame, so I broke out Victor Hugo's classic, and though I told him it was beyond him, he began trying to read it.

After a little while, he asked me about the books on a shelf in my office up real high.  I pulled down my various titles of "Choose Your Own Adventure," twenty-eight in total, and we began going through them.  Alexya walked in, listening to my explanation to what they are.

"Read one to us, Grandpa," said Alexya.

I pulled out #4, Space and Beyond.  After that one, we read a tale from #5, The Mystery of Chimney Rock.

As we were going through the stories, I noticed something.  When it came to a choice, Ezekiel always wanted to go the safer route, while Alexya kept demanding we follow the more daring choice.

Ezekiel has always been very serious, and careful.  Alexya leaps without looking. . . literally.

I found it interesting that their personalities really came out in the choices they made with these stories.

Alexya is also very interested in the unknown.  One time she had me looking up pictures and videos about viruses and bacteria.  While she was eagerly leaning forward trying to learn all she could, after watching the videos Ezekiel exclaimed, "We're all gonna die!"

He's more of a video games kid.  She likes to play outside.

Introvert, Extrovert.  Careful and Daring.

Myself, I am a complex mixture of both.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary