I am not much of a health nut. I do not really watch what I eat or count calories, and I will not choose a salad over a cheeseburger. But, there is one food that I will stand by till the end of time: the avocado. 

Avocados are healthy, being good for your digestive health and blood pressure, according to the British Health Foundation. Their high unsaturated fat content and long list of helpful nutrients make them excellent for your heart, even reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, according to the T.H. Chan School of Public Health. 

But I never knew all this growing up. To me, it was just a snack, or a burger topping, or a spread, or something delicious to have with your chips. I never paid much attention to the avocado until I was traveling in London with my family, and came across a street artist selling an avocado print. What a random subject! There was nothing interesting about the colors or the composition. Who would buy such a thing? 

I would, and I did. 

Since then, I’ve collected a few other avocado-related memorabilia. I proudly have a custom-made-by-my-sister crocheted avocado pillow. So, why do I like avocados so much? 

I deliberated on why that was for a while and boiled it down to two reasons. First, they are great to eat. That one is easy to explain. They’re healthy, versatile–sandwiches, salads, tacos, sushi, the list goes on–and I like the taste. 

The second reason stems from my first thought when I saw that avocado print on the streets of London: who would buy such a thing? To me, the avocado became a random, unique quirk and part of my identity. It doesn’t mean much, but it is a little thing about me that is my own. I love avocados. It sounds small and basic, but it is those little idiosyncrasies that make us special. 

So there are two takeaways from this column. The first is to eat more avocados! They’re amazing and are an excellent addition to any diet. 

The second? Don’t be afraid of your little quirks. I can eat a whole avocado as a snack, and collect avocado-related art. What about you?