Never assume the quality of a person's work reflects the quality of the person. The artist whose composition inspires, the musician whose melodies are beautiful, the mathematician or the writer whose works astonish you; these often turn out to be people with whom you want no terms of intimacy.

Yes, I had to learn this.

I learned a kind of converse first, I expect like most people. The most beautiful souls and the most faithful friends often carry the burden of failure.