Esther & Mr. Skimpole
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     In the Dickens’ book Bleak House, Esther contracts smallpox.  After she recovers, friends confirm that her beauty continues to shine in spite of a disfigured face. Not so for Mr. Skimpole the self-centered leach who recoils at Esther’s scars and fails to see her beauty.  Likewise for Mr. Guppy who once proposed to the attractive Esther and now trembles at her visage.  Selfishness blinded these men to beauty.
     No one plans on aging bodies, wrinkles, and the sags we’d rather not discuss – but it happens. It sounds cliché but when we focus on the exterior we invite disappointment.  One key to keeping love alive is to focus on the person you married, but you need to see that person and show yours. To reveal your person, let him/her out by kind acts.
     Noticing kindness keeps our focus on the person.  Like saving money, when husband and wife are kind they accrue interest in the marriage; doing kind acts deposits in the marriage treasure from which riches may be drawn. So, do kind acts.
     If your wife likes love notes, text her.  If husband likes to read, buy him a book for no reason but to love him.
     Recount the things you admire about your spouse, the things you appreciate; then tell them in ways they can receive. Next, list three things that make your spouse happy, then do them. 
     It helps to understand how your spouse receives love.  It’s an old trick that still works.  Does he like words or actions? To some men a clean house means I love you, some women love words more than touch. 
     As with Esther, life has a way of changing us, yet life can never hide our deeper beauty.  Of course Mr. Skimpole or Mr. Guppy will never see that beauty for they fail to posses it themselves; just as they fail to show any beauty, they also fail to see it.
      Keep up the kindness, eventually the person shines even if the body fades. By the way, Esther healed beautifully.