When I was in middle school, my home life was terrible. I won't go into details but let's just say I spent as much time as possible anywhere but home.

I basically lived at the public library. The librarian, Mrs. Chen, noticed.

She never asked invasive questions. Never made me feel like a problem. She just made sure I always had a quiet place to sit. Made sure I had books to read. Sometimes she'd leave snacks on the table where I was sitting. Just casually. Like she forgot them there.

One day she asked if I liked writing. I said yes. She started giving me journals. Nice ones. Said the library was getting rid of old stock and asked if I wanted them.

I found out years later there was no old stock. She was buying those journals herself.

Mrs. Chen gave me a safe place when I had nowhere else to go. She saw a struggling kid and decided to help without making me feel like a charity case.

I'm in college now studying to be a teacher. I think about her constantly. About how much power we have to change a kid's life just by showing up and caring.

I wrote her a letter last year telling her how much she meant to me. She wrote back and said she always knew I'd do something special.

I'm going to be like her. I'm going to be the adult who sees the struggling kids and does something about it.