chapter 20: how your face looks

The Journey of Your Face Over 60 Years

Abraham Lincoln once said, "There are no bad photos, just the way your face looks sometimes." This simple observation is a reminder of how our faces evolve throughout life—reflecting experiences, emotions, and time itself.

In your 20s, your face is fresh, energetic, and hopeful. It carries a sense of discovery, with youthful resilience shining through. By your 30s, you start to notice subtle shifts—lines begin to emerge, telling stories of laughter, stress, and growth. These aren’t imperfections but signs of a life fully lived.

As you move into your 40s and 50s, your face deepens with wisdom and character. Each wrinkle, crease, and contour carries the weight of memories—some joyous, some sorrowful—but all integral to the person you've become. In your 60s and beyond, your face tells a lifetime of stories. It's a canvas of experience, where beauty lies not in perfection, but in authenticity.

No photo can truly capture the depth of these changes. Rather, each image reflects the transient nature of life and the emotions tied to specific moments. Lincoln's quote reminds us that there is no such thing as a bad photo, only the fleeting expression of a face that, over time, becomes a testament to the life it has led.