Consider the following two sentences from Imam Suyuti’s classic The History of the Khalifas Who Took The Right Way:
…[The venerable Uthman ibn Affan had] a fair complexion tinged with red, on his face the marks of small-pox….
and, later
Musa ibn Talhah said: ‘Uthman ibn ‘Affan was the most beautiful of people.
This noble Companion of the Holy Prophet Muhammad survived a childhood disease. The small pox that he survived, however, had left marks on his noble face. Instead of disfiguring his countenance, these marks added to his beautiful face, giving it a tinge of red, a variation of color pleasing to the eye. The small pox from his noble childhood was out of his control, and yet he became known for his handsomeness. This was possible because the grooming of his beard and the serenity of his countenance as an adult was within his control.
May we also put our attention on our God-given abilities to beautify our physical and spiritual conditions.