Vanity most often is looked upon as something negative; it is referred to in the bible as all pride that is inconsequential.
---Loving Vanity blossoms but bares no fruit. - Napalse
Enjoying, one owns appearance, and accomplishments may provoke others to think of you as, conceited and insincere. But, if we think a little deeper and consider the value of self-appreciation, an expression of pride, we can then say, "We could all use a shot of arrogance!!"
Take, for example, my childhood friend DL who I speak with every day during this time of isolation. She tells me every day after waking up, she puts on her makeup, pretty much a normal routine, for most women. Yeah. What makes this strange is she reveals she has little to no social contact with anyone most of these days. So, who even notices?
During this time in quarantine, some of us just can’t get out of our pajamas and sweatpants ---- day after day. Is this the new normal now?
My friend chuckles about why she gets all glammed up, even with no one around.
---“ It’s simple;---- it makes me feel better about myself.”
We are all living under extraordinary circumstances and life as we know it has changed; for how long nobody is sure. For so many who are lonesome and experiencing little to no contact with work associates, friends, and loved ones, now is the time to step it up. Kick-ass grooming is vital for our health, staying positive and fighting hopelessness.
Think of makeup as a replacement for valium, for those lonely blues.
If there was ever a true example of how vanity, outshines modesty I discovered it on a recent visit to The Negro League Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO. There I was especially taken with the photos of the women who attended the ball games. It was not so much about their love for the game but their pride in how they dressed. You can see from the photo how they chose to be seen, dressed to the nines appearing with their coiffed hairdos, to carrying handkerchiefs, wearing stylish dresses and shoes.
Like the caption reads about attending a ballgame, it's not like today when people dress like they’re going to rake leaves.
These women had something to say, and they did it with grace, flair, and pride, all in looking their best.
The truth is, right now, I am wearing a repeat of yesterday's failure to achieve any sense of style and fashion. I modestly admit to the lack of ambition for creating a better image of myself—for myself.
So, what is it going to take to beat the doldrums and produce a more polished self, as I remain in quarantine?
The key is to remember this thought, -- Loving yourself isn’t vanity, it’s sanity. -Andre Gide
So, in going forward, I will dedicate my commitment to those very women: my friend DL and the lovely ladies of baseball. May their dedication and charm influence me, only to inspire me to change my ordinary practices.
So, I will start tomorrow, first by creating a vanity emergency kit stocked with the essentials to assist me in crossing over to a healthier and more beautiful lifestyle while in semi-seclusion. I will gather my sanitizer, wipes, gloves, and mask, and I won’t forget the lipstick.
—JMD
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