Peeling Off Layers

"Look beneath the surface; let not the quality of a thing

nor its worth escape thee."
Marcus Aurelius

In my antiquing days, there was sheer pleasure in discovering value in an old beaten-up object discarded into a junk pile. Bringing it home, there was speculation about how it might look after a good cleaning. Taking off layers of filth, absolute joy was experienced to discover the piece had been not only dated but signed!

Have you ever been rehabbing a space, peeling off old wallpaper, only to discover there was significant family recording beneath it? And then the times when an old book came to your attention discovering an inserted piece of stationary written not only decades but centuries prior! 

I find this to be true with people as well. The brightest bulb in the bunch might be boring, whereas a quiet spirit in the corner may have stories to be told. There is an old saying about judging a book by its cover. I happen to believe it is the same with all living things. The most misshapen tree may have the healthiest vibes ever!