Have you ever considered why in the world we (as in all of humanity) feel the need to ponder and place utmost importance on the answers to subjective questions such as, "What's your favorite color?"
It seems a silly question...although, I'll admit I've put a great amount of effort in formulating my answer. Because just what does it matter? Is one color inherantly better than another? And so what if it is? Or what if the world existed without that color? Life would likely go on...and I would simply have a different answer to that question.
Yet, when deciding the compatibility of a future mate, it seems to be one of the first questions asked. Because clearly, if my spouse doesn't agree that green (or blue or red or whatever) is her favorite color at all, then all bets are off in our relationship. We might as well start drawing up the divorce papers now.
Interestingly, my answer to that question has changed over time, which makes the question even more perplexing. As a child, my answer was always blue. Why? Because I was a boy. And blue is a boy's color. Girls pick pink, and boys pick blue. The thought of picking any other color would be a blow to my masculinity (as much as it was at the age of six).
As I aged, growing in maturity and wisdom by age ten, I realized that I didn't want blue to be my favorite color. I mean, I didn't want to just be a lemming (not that I knew what a lemming was at the time) and pick blue because it was the in-thing. No. I wanted to be different. Set my own pace in life. So, I changed my favorite color. To red. Red was still masculine...particularly the darker variety. Plus, every game in existance had red game pieces, right? So, red it was!
But then I waxed philosophical. (I've never used that phrase in my life, but I've always wanted to.) I became an adult. There had to be more thought and meaning behind my answer than just wanting to have a game-piece that matched my favorite color. More than just being my own person. I decided to ponder what color in the world would I most miss if suddenly it were taken away? Because that, my friends, would define my favorite color.
So, I sat and stared at the world. The answer was clear. Green. Definitely green. Imagine the world without the green grass on my lawn, the green leaves of the forests, the green mold in my bathtub. Yes. Without green, the world would be a boring place indeed. Less (and this is for my friends at Backspace) verdant.
Today, if anyone asks me what's my favorite color, my answer is green. But, frankly, what does it matter? I suppose the really important questions of life today...the questions that define each of us a person with unique thoughts and feelings...are the questions that are most likely to cause tension. Are you liberal or conservative? What's your favorite religion? Do you like blondes or brunettes or red heads? Pepsi or Coca-Cola?
Yes, asking one's favorite color is safe, and avoids all the controversy of life. Go ahead and ask, then, and keep the peace.
Me? I'm thankful for green, and red, and blue, and yellow, and every other color of the rainbow. What a beautiful world God has created for us.
