The Principle of the Monster Surprise

God bless the Monster. It’s a decent thing actually. It wants to be loved like every other living thing. It’s appearance can be improved no doubt but I’d say that’s perfectly acceptable considering it’s got a beating heart, like you and me, inside. Which makes it ultimately, lovable. Don’t prejudge a monster. Don’t do that. Walk right up to the Monster. Look it in the eye, kindly. Be respectful. And that’s when the surprise happens.

The Monster turns out to be not quite so…monstrous. It’s, in fact, nowhere near as vicious as it’s been made out to be. Has the Monster then been going around selling itself? No, of course not. The ones speaking about Monsters, the ones creating all the hullabaloo, are those who tell us they’ve ‘met’ Monsters.

It turns out all those stories we hear, by those who claim to have ‘met’ Monsters, are actually interpretations by people of a particular Monster they’ve come across or -much more likely – been dreading and avoiding for far too long in their lives. Their impressions of Monsters are gathered from behind the hills, at safe distances or in the throes of blinding fear (blinding being the operative word). They can see, but won’t look. So they imagine.

These are not the kind of impressions one gets when one meets a Monster with sincerity. I’m certainly guilty of such prejudice. How about you? A Monster can be scary and forbidding in one’s mind. You may embellish what it can do based on other Monsters you’ve ‘met’ or heard of throughout your life. So even before you face it, you have made up your mind on its character (mainly, you think it lacks said character) and how it is going to plain destroy you.

Here are the steps again for those inclined to try a different approach the next time you stumble across a Monster, or should one stumble upon you. This is for those seeking different outcomes.

The very next time you sense there is a creature on your tail or you see a great shadow looming ahead around the bend that brings out the worst fears in you, or a vague but persistent scent that’s halfway between a wet dog and the interior of a perfumery, that lingers in the air, remember to first take a deep breath, a really deep breath and realise that it is highly likely that you are about to be sprung upon by a monster. Also realise (quickly) that this happens to be a living creature. Like you. And your pet. Then, when you see it, walk up to the monster. Gently. Look it in the eye (or eyes, depending on available numbers) as best you can and, introduce yourself. Seriously. Welcome it. Be respectful. Speak with it. But be there. Out in the open. Instead of hiding. Or shutting your eyes.

And then the surprise will happen.

By the way, this applies to all sorts of monsters. All sorts.

Photo by Neil Rosenstech on unsplash.com