The Face

Animal faces are not like our faces.  You say, "Yeh, so what is new about that."  Well, I don't mean appearances.  The more profound difference is that animal faces generally do not look up into the sky.  They look down to the ground or around them to see what danger or food might be available.  A pet might look up as far as its owner, its food source.  They are very much into basic needs.  At the monastery the cows look at one another or look down to find grass to eat.  But human faces are made to look up to the sky, to the infinite, the beyond.  We are made to look at wonder and mystery.  Our faces can give us a sense of gratitude that we can do that.  When we look into the mirror at ourselves we can get critical and narrow focus on perceived or imagined limitations in appearance.  Let your face remind you that you are made for more than appearances or approval from others or popularity.  You are made for wonder, the infinite, the expansive, represented by sky, stars, and space.  You are connected to it all, and none of this connective mystery cares a fig for how you look.  It cares that you look, and see.