Seeing People as Buildings

Some very fond memories I have are sitting outside of a local coffeeshop, watching a building being built across the street. It hit me then that buildings are built-they don't just suddenly appear out of nowhere. That profound epiphany led me to the realization that people are built, too-they don't just walk into your life at 20 or 30 years of age with no past or history behind them. I'm not talking just about "baggage", the emotional scars people carry with them throughout their lives, but also "luggage"-their histories, their pasts, victories, failures, friends, the reason they are afraid of cows, what it is that motivates them to do what they do, all the the things a good friend will ask about-and really listen to. People are buildings, too. We have all been shaped by different forces and weathered many storms. A good friend will look beyond the facade, beyond the new coat of paint, and see what's really there-all the inner workings, the flaws, the beauties, everything.