how to feel capable and proud. She saw talent in me I hadn’t seen in myself. One day, she gave me a notebook to write down recipes. That notebook filled up fast. Ms. Allen later gifted me a spot in a local culinary workshop. I cried — no one had ever believed in me like that. Eventually, I won a scholarship to culinary school. Today, I run my own cozy restaurant in my hometown. Ms. Allen,
Zara, and my mom still visit. I now mentor teens from tough backgrounds, hoping to offer them the same chance I was given. That one dinner — one simple act of kindness — changed my entire life. I learned that when someone opens their heart and invites you to the table, it can change everything.