第4部分(第4/6 頁)

。　Finally；　she　turned　to　me　and　said；　apologetically；　“I　can’t　think　of　anything。”

I　was　stunned。　My　friend　is　intelligent；　charming；　and　passionate—yet　she　couldn’t　see　any　of　that。

I　know　she’s　not　alone。　Low　self…esteem　has　bee　the　number…one　issue　plaguing　women。　Despite　God’s　assurance　that　he’s　absolutely　crazy　about　us；　most　of　us　can’t　believe　he　means　us。　It’s　like　the　cynical　editor　who　tells　the　cub　reporter；“If　your　mother　says　she　loves　you；　check　it　out。”

I　have　been　a　reporter　for　12　years。　One　of　the　first　things　I　learned　in　researching　a　story　was　“garbage　in；　garbage　out。”　If　your　raw　data　is　flawed；　you　end　up　with　a　faulty　conclusion。　The　same　is　true　with　how　we　see　ourselves。　If　we　lack　self…confidence；　maybe　we’re　working　with　flawed　data。

The　reality　is；　in　hundreds　of　subtle　ways；　our　culture；　family；　friends—even　our　thought　life—conspire　to　undermine　our　confidence。　We　grow　up　in　families　void　of　affirmation；　encouragement；　and　respect—the　building　blocks　to　self…confidence。　Then　we　find　ourselves　smack　dab　in　the　middle　of　a　world　that　lionizes　Size　Two　Hollywood　starlets　and　Barbie…doll　figures。　Our　paycheck；　our　title；　or　some　other　artificial　yardstick　gives　us　temporary　entree　into　the　world　of　The　Accepted。　But　in　our　hearts；　we　know　it　isn’t　real。　How　do　we　find　our　way　to　the　truth？

I’m　technophobia。　My　brother　got　all　the　genes　required　to　understand　operating　manuals；　to　repair　things；　or　to　make　sense　of　puters。　When　I　first　had　to　learn　how　to　use　a　puter　for　my　job；　I　was　convinced　it　was　the　end　of　life　as　I　knew　it。

I　remember　with　painful　clarity　a　beginner’s　puter　class　where　the　instructor　told　us　to　“press　any　key”。　I　searched　in　vain　for　the　“any”　key。　By　the　end　of　the　class；　I　wa