Ever heard of the saying ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover?’

How applicable do you think it is nowadays?

People swipe left in the blink of an eye, reducing dating prospects to nothing more than unwanted goods off the virtual shelf.

Women all over the world get Botox, nose jobs, and lip injections in an attempt to meet physical beauty standards.

Ripped men and sexually appealing women are viewed as the end all be all, particularly on social media.

All these are very relevant examples of how focused the modern-day world has become on looks and appearance.

It judges people in an instant, based on how they appear outwardly, in a single photo or reel on Instagram, or a casual encounter on the street.

By chance, do you ever look at someone and assume qualities about them based on the ethnicity you perceive them to be?

Unfortunately, this is commonplace, especially in countries lacking in ethnic diversity.

Don’t you think that people are more than their race or appearance?

That each person has a unique voice of their own, with a unique set of experiences, and a unique way of looking at the world?

Sure, we can be influenced by cultural conditioning, however, we are so much more than the cultures we are born into.

We are limitless beings that are each designed with a distinctive set of qualities from the moment our souls are created.

That innermost being is the person worth getting to know.

That is a layer of connection that we would never get to if we proceeded to stereotype people based on appearance.

The truth is that no matter how someone looks on the outside, Botox or not, male, female, or nonbinary, one ethnicity or another, we all share the same emotions. We all experience fear and doubt, anger and frustration, joy and sadness. It is not our appearance that makes us human, but our hearts. Our ability to connect and to relate with one another.

Here’s an analogy.

A girl who grew up in a rich household with everything she ever needed, and another girl who grew up in a village with only bare necessities, are both presented with two different gift boxes. One is dazzled with fancy ribbons and bows, while the other is a plain, decrepit box.

Without giving much thought, the girl from the rich household chooses the box with the fancy bows, while the girl from the village chooses the one with the cracks and rips.

Each of them opens their box.

The wealthy girl is surprised to see that there is nothing in her box.

The girl from the village is equally shocked to see a diamond ring in her box.

Looks can be deceiving. What appears attractive and enticing on the outside, can turn out to be nothing other than a false promise or pipe dream. In contrast, what appears unattractive and unpromising on the outside, can ultimately bring the most happiness and wealth.

This is a lesson that can be applied to human connection.

Those who appear different to us, or unattractive by societal standards, can actually turn out to be the most precious people in our lives.

On the contrary, those who appear similar to us, or physically attractive according to societal standards, may not actually be who we most connect with at an emotional, mental, or even spiritual level.

This goes to say that we as humans are comprised of so many layers that go beyond the outer shell, which is often deceiving, because it does not give the full picture of who someone truly is.

You have to take the time to get to know someone to truly understand who they are, what they stand for, what they value, and what makes them unique.

In doing so, not only do you understand yourself on a deeper level, but you also build bonds that extend beyond the conventional boundaries set by nationality, the media, or society.

What you see is not always what you get.

Developing insight to see into people’s hearts and souls is a necessity for living a fulfilled life, especially in this day and age where everything has become about outer appearance.

Always remember that the outer is temporary, while the inner is constant.

Looks can fade and change, while the inner essence of who a person is will always remain.