“To a true artist only that face is beautiful which, quite apart from its exterior, shines with the truth within the soul”- Mahatma Gandhi

Evidence of the word 'face' seems to be swirling all around me these days...

• In the face of extreme devastation there is still hope.
• In the face of unimaginable loss, there is life.
• Awestruck how one face, can tell so many stories.
• How powerful it is, to choose to meet & document 100 new faces.
• These faces touch the deepest depths of my soul.
• $2 Portraits show the many faces of life.
• I believe facing one of my toughest decisions led to another life saved.
• I enjoyed a trip through some of my favorite flickr faces.
• This book has been helping strengthen my sketching face skills.

“The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty, and truth”-Albert Einstein

Every, single, darn day ...we bear witness to those who have chosen to show unmeasurable courage while faced with difficult decisions and it is through our faces we reveal our deepest selves, share emotions and strengthen the connections that we form.

“If the essence of my being has caused a smile to have appeared upon your face or a touch of joy within your heart.Then in living - I have made my mark.”-Thomas L. Odem, Jr

Sometimes, we are faced with a smile that melts the core of who we are on an otherwise bad day. One moment can magically heal many tough ones - such as this one, of my sweet Morgan.

Pair it with a dear friend's photo... and...

(click photo to see it larger)

..  that simple word face... becomes a bit more powerful than I initially thought.

“I do believe that when we face challenges in life that are far beyond our own power, it's an opportunity to build on our faith, inner strength, and courage. I've learned that how we face challenges plays a big role in the outcome of them.”- Sasha Azevedo

I look forward to seeing what you in have store for Week 6 of Echo– Face. Susan & I invite each of you to participate in the project and show us your unique vision, your voice, your echo. Remember, to share your link in the comments here so I can add it to the roundup next Wednesday.

• Go visit Susan’s Week 6 post for our other diptych.
• Our Flickr Group for the collab. ~ Join Us! Find a partner there, read the guidelines and more!
• Add the new Echo button (susan’s awesome design) to your blog if you’d like! Get the code here.

Here's to putting our best faces forward, and choosing to face the adversities in our life with courage & passion.

Chrysti