Although we remain silent, our face is eloquent 24-hours a day. Quite naturally it sometimes grows tired. So, recently, I have been thinking in these terms: our face can obtain the rest it needs if it can be veiled from time to time.

“A face of evil,” “good looking,” “stunningly beautiful,” “sexy,” or “older than she looks”... people say what they want to say, projecting their ideas onto our indifferent faces––with a nose in the center and a pair of eyes and ears either side. The standard of “good looking” tends to vary depending on individual likes and dislikes and the era in which people live.

We assume that we possess just the tangible face we inherited from our parents. How wrong we are. Our face is something worked up, just like a piece of sculpture, over many years. The surface color of the skin and the wrinkles change equally over time, but the finished product varies depending on the person’s (the face’s) outlook on life, experience, illnesses, stress, or disposition. Some produce a scowling, cynical face; some produce a smiling face, or an angry one, or one that is stubborn, calm, mean, or fierce. You name it. Our looks, or physiognomy, are honest, they betray our almost-hidden personality without a single word passing our lips.

Thanks to television, we can look at the faces of politicians and celebrities of the world every day. We can witness how their faces change very quickly, overnight, because of a single event. Being on top is a tough job, having to take responsibility not only for one’s words but also for one’s face. A face can serve as a political asset. Worldly people spend a world of time guarding their faces. Today’s tumultuous international situation has put me in the habit of studying closely the faces of world leaders, especially those of the United States, China, Russia, and North Korea, as well as our own country. I cannot help thinking there must be some connection between breaking news events and faces.

You are naive indeed if you think your face is merely what you inherited from your parents. You had better keep in mind that it is only the base, or foundation, upon which you build your own identity, your own self. The way you look is tangible, but the process of its construction, from inside out, is the result of the total intangible power of your inner self.

No matter how much money you spend on make-up and plastic surgery, there is always the risk of internal breakdown. It’s not a bad thing for you to make an effort to appear beautiful; but it’s a better thing to try to maintain a healthy face that makes people around you feel secure and positive. That way your own life will be more stable.

I want to say to the world’s leaders: “Show a nice face and make all of us feel safe.”