Even the most beautiful woman or the most handsome man can be overshadowed by something that just seems out of place and distracting.

A nationally known female supermodel just loses some of her appeal if you spot dried food stuck to the side of her face or something coming out of her nostril.

Yes, it’s a disgusting thought, but that’s the point.

Beauty, as they say, may be in the eye of the beholder, but most folks can agree on how ugly and unappealing looks.

One bit of ugliness can eclipse world-renown beauty whether the subject is a cover girl model or even an historic city such as Natchez.

A few blighted properties or other unsightly distractions can quickly consume our attention.

The City of Natchez, or at least the Natchez mayor, looks across the city and sees the potential of what it can be, but also sees the distractions, too. Of late the mayor is focusing on unsightly utility lines that traverse the sky in most parts of the city.

The mayor’s goal is to start working on eliminating the overhead lines, and it’s an admirable goal. But the work must be done carefully and with all parties involved — including the private businesses that supply electricity, telephone and cable services — all on board, too.

If all four entities cooperate and build a measured, intelligent plan for starting to convert to underground utility delivery lines instead of the current overhead ones, Natchez’s beauty could receive a significant makeover, one that will last for decades.