DEAR ABBY: I am an 11-year-old Muslim girl who is a faithful reader of your column. It has helped me remember that I'm not the only one with problems. Here's mine:
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It seems like no boy has ever liked me because I wear a scarf. The fact that no guy has ever liked me really hurts, even though it's against my religion to have boyfriends or go out on dates.
Guys never like me -- even as a friend. I know you're thinking that boys my age are sometimes afraid to approach girls, but it's not like that. This is bothering me something awful, Abby. Please help. -- SAD AND HURT IN FALL CHURCH, VA.
DEAR SAD AND HURT: Speak to your parents or your religious leader about your feelings. You're not the only girl who has ever felt this way. Sometimes it's hard to be different -- yet that's what makes all of us mature as individuals.
When the time comes, the right young man will be mature enough to see the person underneath the scarf. Trust me!