It is often said that one should not judge a book by its cover. This principle applies not only to books but to individuals as well.  Just as one cannot fully understand the content of a book without investing time and engaging with it, similarly, one cannot truly know an individual without spending time and becoming involved in their life.

As a writer, my work often stems from imagining scenarios based on my experiences or observations.  As a result, I am typically able to predict the conclusion of the book from the beginning.  The middle part affects me the most as a writer.  My initial perspective on the experience that I am writing about may evolve significantly by the conclusion of the book.

For example, the motivation for my book SHATTERED stemmed from knowledge of an unusual and horrifying action carried out by an individual.  Upon learning of this, I experienced immediate feelings of disdain and scorn.  However, due to the lack of understanding about the cause or details of the event, I began to speculate.  Considering various scenarios, the one I chose to embrace made me realize that, if this had been the way it really went down, (which is possible), I would have felt sympathy for the individual instead of disdain.

It reminds me of Matthew 7:1-3 “For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you…”

The takeaway is to avoid making judgments without knowing the full story.  Don’t judge a book by its cover.