Switched At Birth

“The Book of Questions”, by Gregory Stock, Ph.D — These are questions of a different sort — questions about you. They are about your values, your beliefs, and your life; love, money, sex, integrity, generosity, pride, and death are all here.

Here is an enjoyable way to find out more about yourself and others, and to confront ethical dilemmas in a concrete rather than an abstract form.

To respond to these questions, you will need to examine and interpret your past, project yourself into hypothetical situations, face difficult dilemmas and make painful choices.

These questions can be an avenue for individual growth, a tool for deepening relationships, a quick way to get to know a stranger, or merely a pleasant amusement.

A plot twist in a story, or real life. Who would want to decide what to do if your one-year-old is not your child and someone else has your child? I typed the first question and thought how horrible. Does this still happen? Then I thought, who really knows? Well, check google as google will know.

How long would it take to find out? A first year? Three years? Or 20, 30, or even 40 years? There are plots, and stories written with this as the storyline and real-life stories of this happening. How could it still happen? But it has apparently.

You discover your wonderful one-year-old child is, because of a mixup at the hospital, not yours. Would you want to try to exchange the child to try to correct the mistake? Gregory Stock, Ph.D

This is something I wouldn't ever want to experience and now that I am the age I am... Then where I went was the realization of my adopted grandchildren. Could I give any of them back? My daughter had foster children until she adopted a son. Now she has two from the same mother.

And a grandchild from the same mother. I would never want to give any of them back. I thought it would be good for them as adults to have a relationship with their mother. She had an opportunity with her oldest son and it didn't work out. Now, she is deceased.

In an ideal world, what would be the best way to handle this situation? You tell me because I don't know. If it was a forced thing, and the baby went back to their biological family, I would still want contact through visitation. I think it would be hardest on the children. Thinking one family is theirs and then finding out that is not their family after they have grown attached.

No easy answer.

Do you think that the world will be a better or worse place one hundred years from now? Gregory Stock, Ph.D

The little girl in the photo above could see the world in 100 years. I have met people that have reached 100+ years. My husband's aunt told us that the worst thing about getting that old is that most of your loved ones and best friends are no longer around. All deceased.

My hope is that it will be a better place in one hundred years; however with our political climate the way it has been, I think if it continues in this way it will be a worse place.

Money is not the answer and that is what runs the world. You can't take money with you. It won't do you any good where you are going.

Every once in a while there is something hopeful that comes up. I won't be around to see much of what is to come. And I have seen many changes in my 70 years. I can pray for my children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren while I am here and for future generations.

I can do my best to love everyone. Understanding that I don't have to like everyone. I can do that. Living this way has ripples and it ripples out to people you spend time with.

Would you rather be a member of a world championship sports team or be the champion of an individual sport? Which sport would you choose? Gregory Stock, Ph.D

The team sport would be my favorite. I have played tennis and softball in my younger years. And I preferred softball as a sport.

I have enjoyed watching children and grandchildren at wrestling, tennis, playing softball, baseball, basketball, football, and hockey. Most are team sports. Even tennis and wrestling have a team component.

Today I watch the Minnesota Vikings (Football), Minnesota Twins (Baseball), and the Minnesota Wild (Hockey). When I don't watch them on television, I get highlights on my phone and a current score update.

It has been many years since I attended a game in person. As a child I would listen to the games on the radio with my Grandpa. My mom loved watching the twins and even when it was a rerun she would still get all excited by the plays. It wasn't always those teams but it was Minnesota teams that I enjoyed.