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On books and covers

Judging books by covers.

It's a natural thing to do. 

As a human, one of our most dominant senses is sight, and so the reliance on visual information is default. 

At least, that's the way it is for me. 

And the default settings mean we sometimes miss an opportunity to experience a beautiful person because our preconceptions of their appearance is a blocker. 

So if you can look past the thumbnail on this video, and watch the video with an open mind, you'll find a man with a huge heart.
 

Meet Mr Jason De Ford, also known as Jelly Roll, a musician and former drug dealer. In this video, he speaks with passion about the issue of fentanyl addiction.

Yes he has tattoos on his face.

He's done things in his past that he is not proud of.

And the way he owned his past and took responsibility for his actions made me trust him.

He showed courage.

He showed integrity.

He acted with integrity.

And that is a measure of a good human.

As I reflect on this, there's a lesson forming in my mind.

I have done things I'm not proud of, like Mr De Ford. If we are honest, we all have. But that's not stopping him putting himself out there.
 
What is stopping me?

I sometimes hide behind my perception of a squeaky image and neglect to act and do the right thing 

It's easier to drop an excuse, or judge another. So instead of making excuses, I'm going to be more conscious about my judgements.
 
I'm going to make a concerted effort to look a bit deeper. I want to see the person behind the mask. 

Because I want to make a positive impact on the world. 

I want my life to stand for something.

I want my actions to count. 

I want to be a good human.

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