You can't judge a book by its cover

It's one of those old adages that everyone knows. Basically, it means that you shouldn't let yourself be governed by first impressions. Instinct is a valuable tool, but it only goes so far. For good or ill, people can surprise you. Some can be charming as hell on the surface, but turn out to be ultimate slimeballs. Likewise, people who seem very removed and difficult to get to know, can turn out to be your greatest friends.

YCJABBIC cuts both ways then. It's the all purpose maxim about first impressions. There are a host of others that are more pointed. Calling someone "a wolf in sheep's clothing" is a warning that, not only are they not what they may seem, but they probably have bad intentions. Similarly, "let the buyer beware," or "caveat emptor" in the original Latin cautions you to look carefully before you spend, lest you suffer buyer's regret.

Another of those old sayings that is closely related to caveat emptor is "all that glitters is not gold." Do not be fooled by a shiny exterior. Don't let yourself be taken in by fancy accessories. In particular, never succumb to flowery marketing talk, slick advertising and ridiculous claims. And don't be so vain as to think you aren't susceptible. Year in and year out, millions of people spend billions of dollars on impossible investment schemes, diet pills, astrologers and other charlatans, all because they are taken in by slick promises.

"All that is gold does not glitter" is a different kind of warning. In a world where we are often in too much of a hurry to worry about our destination, it cautions us that if we do not take our time, we may overlook that which is of true value because it does not initially grab us with its glitter. In some ways, this is a greater error than being fooled into making an unwise purchase or decision. We all make mistakes, and we all have shelves full of books we have never read (at least not past the first few pages) and CDs we never listen to anymore.

But passing something or someone up because they do not grab us right from the start often means that we will never get to know them. Missed opportunities are more likely to lead to regrets than bad purchases. "We may never pass this way again," as Seals and Crofts sang back in the 1970s.

"All that is gold does not glitter" is not really an old adage like those cited above. It is a twist on "all that glitters is not gold" created by author J. R. R. Tolkien. I'm sure many fans of The Lord of the Rings recognized it right off the bat. It's the first line in a poem Tolkien wrote as a way of introducing the character of Aragorn. If my memory serves me right, it first appears in The Followship of the Ring, in a letter from Gandalf to Frodo Baggins. He knows that Frodo and his companions will encounter Aragorn, in his guise as Strider, a ranger of the north, on their way to Rivendell. He wants Frodo to know that he can trust Strider, even though he may appear rough-hewn and dangerous.

Here is the entire text of the poem:

All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.

The last lines of the poem, of course, presage that Strider is, in fact, Aragorn, Son of Arathorn and Heir of Isildur, who would take up the broken sword Narsil, reforged by the elves, and play a vital role in the downfall of Sauron. Thereafter, he would be crowned King of Arnor and Gondor, restoring a throne that had been vacant for ages. His coronation marks the end of the Third Age of Middle-earth, and with the withdrawal of the Elves to Valinor, marks the beginning of the Age of Men.

I selected All The Is Gold as the name for my new blog, because I want to use it to explore and share my thoughts on books, movies, music, people and whatnot that I have found to have real value. In a lot of cases, this is no secret, and I know that a great many others share my opinion. But, on at least a few occasions, I hope to introduce you, Gentle Reader, to something you might have otherwise missed. I welcome your feedback and look forward to learning from your insights, as I hope you will, once in a while at least, from mine.