Passport pictures are the ugly reality

I remember the first time I went overseas I had to obtain a passport. In order to get it I had to have a picture taken by a professional photographer. When I received the photograph from the photographer I was disappointed. So I called him and told him I didn’t like the way it looked. He said, “Well, that is only a passport photograph. Would you like some touched-up prints?” That sounded better, so I ordered some. But to my disappointment the American consulate only wanted the passport photograph. I offered them the other, but no, they wanted the passport photograph that was not touched-up. The touched-up photograph was what I wanted other people to think I looked like; but the passport photograph was the ugly reality. And all I could do was give the man the thing he wanted. (Lou Nicholes - Author and Missionary).