温馨夜读II PART1 13.You Are Not Alone（在线收听）

[00:01.19]13.You Are Not Alone

[00:04.90]Since I was 12 years old, I’ve suffered with a condition called Compulsive Hair Pulling. 

[00:11.11]The physical devastation was severe, but the emotional damage was worse. 

[00:17.31]When I was young, no one, including my doctor, knew how to help me. 

[00:22.32]I was alone.

[00:24.39]Growing up, I didn’t fit in anywhere and I suffered great shame knowing I’d brought this affliction upon myself. 

[00:33.10]My hands seemed to have a mind of their own. 

[00:36.58]“What’s wrong with me,” I’d often wonder. 

[00:39.53]Sometimes, people inquired about my lack of eyelashes and eyebrows. 

[00:44.65]I was lonely, but I kept people at a distance. 

[00:49.54]However, each night, before I fell asleep, I’d pray for wisdom, and for God to send someone who understood.

[00:59.24]Then when I was 25, I read a letter, in Ann Landers, from a mom whose child suffered from compulsive hair pulling. 

[01:08.71]I could hardly believe my eyes. 

[01:11.43]After all these years, I discovered, I was not alone.

[01:16.22]At that moment, my journey for healing began. 

[01:21.01]I took small steps at first — telling only a few friends. 

[01:25.70]Some of them tried to understand. 

[01:28.41]Then, they began to share their secrets with me. 

[01:31.79]I learned to see myself the way God saw me, someone deserving love.

[01:37.13]One day, my miracle happened. 

[01:40.50]A friend called with wonderful news. 

[01:43.23]She just met a woman with compulsive hair pulling—someone just like me. 

[01:48.02]She gave me her phone number. I was ecstatic. 

[01:51.83]I quickly dialed, and from the minute Christina answered, we began to chat like old friends, 

[01:58.47]both thrilled to find someone who understood our pain. 

[02:02.50]We planned to meet soon, and found out that even though I resided in a lightly populated, rural area, we lived only two houses away.

[02:15.89]We immediately dropped our phones, and in the dark of night, ran outside in our pajamas, 

[02:21.56]where we hugged, cried and talked for hours. 

[02:24.49]I felt I’d just met my long lost twin, someone who understood my pain and struggles. 

[02:30.92]There was no doubt about it. 

[02:33.10]I was looking into the eyes of a miracle.

[02:36.59]We walked back to my house, and into the light, Christina slowly lifted her long hair revealing patchy, bald spots. 

[02:45.10]Then with a deep breath, I took off my makeup and let her see me as no one else ever had, not even my husband of 10 years. 

[02:55.93]In that moment, I knew, my childhood prayer had been answered.

[03:01.62]Yes, it was true. I was not alone.