good read

Did anyone used to read those books as a child that offered you, the reader, the chance to pick the character’s next move at various points throughout the book? For instance, it may read something like “after trekking through the woods for hours, little Johnny comes upon a dark cave. What will he choose to do next? Go to page 72 if he goes into the cave and page 123 if he sneaks past the cave instead.” I never much liked these books, as I always just wanted to know what the RIGHT path was. I didn’t trust myself to arbitrarily choose any which one. I just had to wonder: what choices did the author who penned this story in the first place think would lead to the best outcome for his character?

These books offer the experience of free will, despite the fact that they were written by some omniscient author elsewhere.  Children don’t have to acknowledge the true controller of the outcome, and are able to believe they hold the character’s fate in their own hands. They also gain the satisfaction of finishing such a book, with so many pages, so many twists and turns, while in reality they skipped half the book, half the pain, by having chosen alternate routes for their character.

As of late I consider life such a book. We do not get to see where certain decisions will take us; we only get to choose one path, then follow it wholeheartedly believing all the while that it is the right one. We can be thankful at least that an author brighter than us already wrote the book and that he is watching each page unfold as we live it out. Sometimes the page we are on is painful, sometimes joyful, but the next page follows regardless, moving us right along.

I’m thankful for this chapter of my life with my husBen and my dog, my schoolwork and my kitchen, my good friends and my family. 

Quimby and I are off to Rockport for the week for some sun and good sleep (but don't worry, I will keep blogging!)