Article September 1, 2013

Do you want to be slim and beautiful?

Deborah Appleton Huebsch

Originally published in the 1975 pamphlet titled “It’s about you”

Twenty pounds overweight! To an aspiring dancer that's disaster! I wanted to be a ballet dancer more than anything else in the world. My problem was that I was too fat. I tried everything—crash diets, sweat pants, every exercise in the book—I was still too fat. I was afraid my body was going to ruin my chance for a successful career. I'd known about Christian Science—had many healings—but it didn't occur to me that Christian Science could help me with a weight problem.

Then I had an experience that was a turning point. After working very hard at my dancing, I was finally given a pas de deux—a chance to solo with a partner, the dream of every dancer. The only hitch was that I had to wear a short classical tutu and my heavy legs would be all too obvious.

The performance was a week away when the company business manager walked by me and casually said, "You're just too fat to do anything!" I immediately broke into tears and cried for two straight days. Finally I figured I'd better do something about it and I went to see a Christian Science practitioner.

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