Care vs Neglect

Less than a mile separates these two buildings and yes, one is rather grand and one rather humble by comparison, but still you can learn from the obvious. One is cared for and one is neglected.
The little building would be quite nice had it not be left to ruin. Its humble stature has little to do with its condition. It would be a nice building had the trim been kept up and the building painted. It would be a quaint shop with freshly washed windows, perhaps some shutters of a contrasting color. Trim, neatly painted and perhaps a new roof. Had those things been maintained through the years the work would never have gotten so out of hand. Keeping things in order makes light work. The weeds and grass over grown, making the place look forlorn. The broken windows remind one of a haunted scary sort of place.

Now the big building is well maintained. Manicured grounds, gleaming windows, and no object left to wrack and ruin.
If given the choice I would much rather spend a day in the well maintained building and not due to its size or level of fanciness. Its just nicer looking, more approachable.
To the point now.... people like buildings need to be maintained. Health wise first off, and then beauty wise. We may not all be some glamorous creature, cut from a fashion magazine, but we can maintain ourselves daily. Not letting things get so far gone that its a total make-over every time we get asked to go someplace nice. Keeping you hair styled, your clothes pressed and clean. Maybe a bit of fashion. You can be MODEST with style ! Dump the dumpy clothes. Nice fabric, good colors that sort of thing. No potato sacks. Why not look our best all the time ? I am not one to go spend tons of money on clothes and certainly not on make-up. But it has occurred to me lately, after this major transition of mine, that I like looking my best. I feel better inside and out and to be honest, others receive me better when I am looking cared for instead of neglected. Goodwill has provided me with some amazing outfits for so little. And I can sew a nice skirt and jacket for about the same as a couple of calico jumpers and one looks good and one looks dowdy.
I treat people who are all put together with more interest. I care about the beggar on the street just as much mind you, but that is a care of mankind sort of thing, not a "why don't you join us for dinner" sort of interest. We have all seen the studies, pretty people get more attention. Male peacocks certainly interest us more than the drab pea hen. A pretty house more attention than a shack. Certainly a brand new car gets more attention than my old Taurus wagon. Positive attention that is : )
My husband looks good all the time. His hair combed, his dress impeccable. Today he has on this wonderful dark green silk Oleg Cassini shirt on, ($2 Goodwill, tags still on it) black trousers and I have to tell you, he looks good. I like that, him looking good. I would be a liar if I said I didn't. I love him when he is mucking out the barns but you know he is more appealing when he isn't.
Same would go for me to him. He loves me, adores me but I think he enjoys it when I am spruced up, like when we dated so long ago. I would try on three outfits at least when getting ready to go out with him. I wanted to look my best. So, why not be the same now ? I love him more so why not care more about the way I look ?
You can of course carry this all too far and become so self absorbed that you want to carry a mirror with you all the time, perhaps even sleep with one.
I trust you know by now, I am talking balance in life.
Simple beauty is a work in progress, starts on the inside and is polished on the outside. If you are ugly hearted, all the care in the world of the appearance isn't going to matter when all is said and done in your life, so take special care of who you are and what you are too. A legacy of style is probably not enough, but one of a good heart and style, now that is a combination to be remembered for many generations.