My 10-year-old daughter always rushed to the bathroom as soon as she came home from school. When I asked, “Why do you always take a bath right away?” she smiled and said, “I just like to be clean.” However, one day while cleaning the drain, I found something. The moment I saw it, my whole body started trembling, and I immediately…

still hadn’t healed, and it was clear that it would take time for her to feel whole again.

“I’m sorry that happened to you,” I whispered, pulling her into a hug. “But you’re not dirty. You’re not freaky. You’re my beautiful girl, and I love you.”

“I know, Mom,” she murmured, her voice muffled against my shoulder. “I love you too.”

The days that followed continue reading …