It occurred to me just now. People view you and they form opinions of who you are and what you know or stand for.
It brings me back to the story of the respected monk who was invited to attend a function and arrived in the shabbiest, most tired robes he could find.
When he arrived they turned him away as they thought he was just some horrible stinking vagrant.
They became concerned that their star guest has not shown up and made their excuses.
When the monk returned in his best robes he asked if there was anything wrong.
They told him about the vagrant monk who troubled them earlier and with that he began to remove his robes.
"What are you doing??" They asked.
"I was that vagrant monk you spoke of. Now did you invite me or my clothing?"
This is an example that is alive and well to this day. People think I'm a clean living, diligent person and always have been. Just because I'm in a position of perceived responsibility they assume I have always been the same. Not true. I developed and evolved over a long period of time. This is based only on their understanding of me as they percieve me since they've known me. Everyone is a product of his or her past I know but don't get hung up on appearances as this is dangerous territory. As the story suggests, and it is a non superstitious story, anyone could be anything.
A Buddhist tale about vanity and why vanity is unwholesome.
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