People often make disparaging remarks that judge a woman’s worth according to her age. Some say, “A woman’s age is like a Christmas cake: it sells well until the 23rd, goes on sale at half price from the 26th, and becomes unsellable thereafter.” Others derogatorily refer to women over thirty as sangpyenyeo, meaning women who have been “delisted” like stocks removed from the market. Although such remarks are offensive, it is also true that when we see women in their twenties radiating vitality, we may envy the beauty created by their youthful energy. But can the beauty of women—or, indeed, of all human beings—be confined merely to the visible signs of youth? My answer to this question is simple: “Beauty grows.” If we could return to our twenties to reclaim the beauty of youth, would we truly wish to go back? Was the beauty we possessed at twenty really greater than the beauty we have today? Does growing older genuinely mean moving farther away from true beauty? Beauty does not remain fixed in youth; it grows deeper and stronger as it embraces the experiences and wisdom accumulated throughout life. Growing older is not the loss of beauty, but the process of perfecting one’s own distinctive light and fragrance. Therefore, who I am today is more mature and more beautiful than who I was yesterday (Hyangjang, p. 621). 
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