What kind of monster doesn’t like flowers and pretty things?

A man was filling out a personality assessment when he felt like he fell into a trap. One simple question gave him pause for almost a full minute.

“Do you like flowers and pretty things?” was the question. His options were "Yes" or "No."

The man struggled to answer. Here is what he was thinking:

“Do I like flowers and pretty things? Well, no, not particularly. At least, I’ve been carefully trained by my culture not to admit it, anyway. But it’s not like I have anything AGAINST flowers and pretty things.”

“So if I say “yes” — what does that say about me? That I’m not masculine? That I’m effeminate?”

“But what if I say “no” — what does that mean? What kind of monster doesn’t like flowers and pretty things?”

After a few moments, the man took a deep breath and checked “yes.” He admitted that, yes, he liked flowers and pretty things.

Most of us do. You’re born being attracted to flowers and other beautiful things you see in nature. Your love of nature is an innate quality.

However, over time, many of us have been trained to question or suspect our love for natural beauty. If you dismiss or suspect flowers, that’s a learned trait.

You develop your sense of beauty as you grow, mature, and age. Consider all the things you feel are beautiful. What or who made you feel that way? How has your taste changed over the years?

We often assess beauty based on our culture and our upbringing. When you’re repeatedly exposed to something and taught that it’s beautiful and good: you start to believe it’s valuable. But when you’re exposed to something and are taught to believe it’s ugly and bad: you begin to believe it’s undesirable.

Further, as cultural norms change, we reassess our standards of beauty. The qualities you appreciated when you were a child may no longer appeal to you. Or perhaps you previously dismissed something, but now are willing to see its beauty because you’re willing to view it through a new lens.

Consider flowers. If you’ve been taught to suspect or dismiss their beauty, think again.

Try looking at flowers through a new lens. Their blooms may only last through spring or summer, but your innate appreciation for their beauty is timeless.

After all, what kind of monster doesn’t like flowers and pretty things?