“Though face and form alter with the years, I hold fast to the pearl of the mind.”

– Han-shan, Chinese poet

As a society, we put a high priority on what Han-shan calls “face and form”. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to see a “Where are they now?” segment on a talk show, where the guests were former highly attractive movie and TV stars.

What I noticed were considerable examples of plastic surgery, and heroic attempts to retain the “face and form” of their youth.

Fortunately, the interviewer focused the conversations around their personal growth and development, as well as their community efforts that went beyond the physical. In these discussions, it was clear that their minds were still beautiful pearls shimmering in the world beyond the surface.

Exercise:

How can you continue to hold fast and further develop your inner self and mind, and see the inevitable process of aging as simply adding a few wisdom lines here and there?