Golden ReBeaver

Let me tell you a story about the Beaver.
It likes to have things just so.
It works hard to build its quaint little dam, each stick placed just right. It stops the rushing water and creates a very calm, safe pool for itself. It doesn't want to be on the shore with the wild creatures, and it builds its house just above the water so that the gross fish won't touch it, and makes a roof for itself so that the birds don't poop on it.
The Beaver is very content with its safe, gaurded, particular little life.
If something scary happens to come by... SLAP! The Beaver will hit its tail and then dissapear into the water. After a while its little eyes might come above the water surface and check for danger. If its safe, the Beaver will go back to work.

I'm pretty sure most of you have probably taken that personality test that sorts you into one of four different categories: Lion, Otter, Beaver, or Golden Retriever.
Lion is the dominant, (often insensitive) leader, with an eye for the "big picture".
Otter is the happy-go-lucky, scatterbrained entertainer with a gazillion friends.
Beaver is the meticulous, (often artistic) planner, who doesn't like any ripples in its pond.
Golden Retriever is the faithful peacekeeper, who will let people walk all over them in an effort to make everyone happy.

This is of course only a brief summary.

For Staff Training this week, a couple came in and gave a few talks on these personalities and how they effect us in a camp setting. They also spoke on conflict and how the personalities typically react to it (the story above was an illustration they used).
I've already read alot on the subject but it was awesome to hear what they had to say, and it helped me understand myself better, and explained a little of why I react to some people the way I do.
I am a pretty even mix of the Golden Retriever and the Beaver (or so I've been told). The Beaver story describes me pretty well I think. But there's more.
As a Beaver, I'm ready and willing to knaw down some trees.
Lions, however seem to think they know best, and they like to push people around. And who better to push around then some peace-loving Beaver? But this Beaver doesn't want to share her tree and she resents some mangy Lion with flesh-eating fangs telling her how to chew it down.
IF I happen to take a misguided bite and my tree isn't quite perfect for the dam, I will probably chew myself out, and the last thing I need is for that presumtious puss to tell me that its no good. My perfectionist Beaver-y heart is very sensitive to criticism, and I will probably hop in the water, slap my tail, and go hide for a bit.
Then when the Lion is gone I'll cautiosly nibble another tree, and be a bit more careful about how I do it.
But while that Lion is on the prowl, I seem to bare my buckteeth....

From a safe distance.