"Appearances are often Deceiving." That's a quote from Aesop's fables. Although a lot of the fables seem like little nonsense stories, they all have a lesson to teach...if the reader is wise enough to see it! The stories are simple and are made to teach young children the ways of the world. Personally, I think these stories should be required reading...not in the schools, but at home.
So much of what a child learns is learned at home. Sure, school can fill a child's head with facts and figures, and likely teach them how to read and do math as well. But for a child to really learn, it needs to start in the home. Teaching a child to read, doesn't teach them to love to read. Teaching a child a fact, doesn't teach them the why of a matter. Manners, can only be taught at home. Out of all of the life lessons that Aesop tries to teach, I think that appearances are often deceiving is a very important one for children to learn at a young age. While a bear cub may look cuddly, its mother, which is surely nearby is deadly. Although a glowing ember may look pretty, it can still burn you. Bringing it to the next level, people can also be deceiving. It starts with the way people act towards each other, what they say versus what they do, and even to the point of how they dress , what they drive and even to what things they spend money on. Here is a good example: I often find it illuminating to see how a person treats their family in private. A person who cheats on their spouse draws a big red flag from me. I have met CEOs who were in the process of getting a divorce from their wife of many years who had been in affairs prior to filing for divorce. I always found it odd that analysts would trust these people to give them good information, when their own spouses could not trust them to be faithful. To me, a person's spouse should be able to trust them fully. If they can't, then I certainly see no reason to trust that person either. If the most important person in their life cannot trust them, then I believe that I certainly shouldn't either. Have you ever seen a woman (or a man) who dresses in a style that is much younger than their years? I call it mutton dressed as lamb! It's sad actually. They try so hard to cling to a sense of youth, that is no longer there. The deception is more on themselves than on others. Most people can tell when they are looking at an older woman or man. While makeup or a piece of clothing can take away a few years, it can't take away decades. It is those people who I am talking about here. It is okay to wear a style that is flattering to you and makes you look a little younger. It is not okay if you are wearing a style meant for a 20 year old, and you are fifty plus! If you are Cheryl Tiegs, you may be able to get away with it. If you are the average person on the street...I doubt it! People do this with the items they use as well. Ever see a woman with a Louis Vuitton bag paying for groceries with the equivalent of food stamps? Or a $75,000 automobile sitting in front of a $20,000 mobile home? These are other forms of deception. It is more likely that people will see the person out with their $75,000 automobile and think them wealthy, than back at their home where they will know the truth. It is certainly a form of deception. Same with the woman with the Louis Vuitton bag. Seeing her walking around at the mall and no one thinks twice. See them paying for food with food stamps and the facade falls apart. All people are deceptive (yes, including me). The why of the deception is important though. Try to look past the makeup and the consumer goods and see the person underneath. Ask questions. Be curious. Be observant. Usually, the deceptions are easy to spot if you look for them.
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