You can look at a piece of art and it can evoke in you a feeling, or impression. But that is more about you than the art. Often those feelings hearken to a time or place in your life. Or, for whatever reason, attach to a particular emotion that belongs only to you, not the work of art.
People can be like art. Some people on the surface evoke strong feelings, or impressions. In fact we all probably form initial impressions based on the affect or presence of the person we are meeting.
But you should never venture to form real knowledge of people without understanding the strokes it took to paint their particular picture.
True love should never be formed based on the image presented.
Likewise, I believe, hate cannot happen when we truly venture to know someone.

The Peace that Passes

I got a message from an old co-worker/friend yesterday that had as its subject line the name of an older man we used to work with. I knew this could only mean one thing.
I spend a lot of time thinking about "high" things, I suppose. Stuff like god, ways of thinking and being, philosophy and religions. I haven't thought about Jim for a number of years. Jim did not dwell on those issues but his life warrants reflection.
He was faithful. To his wife, his family, his job. You could set your clock to Jim.
He was kind. He was honest. He was loving. He was peaceful in his own way.
It kind of angers me when I think about the stuff I give attention to, and see other people give attention to, and I rarely dwell on or around life's true sages, like Jim.
Is it more important to make waves in life or to be a steady foundation?
Jim should be famous for the virtues he practiced daily.
I want to live my life more like Jim Miller did.