Emma’s life had reached a point where even the simplest tasks felt impossible.

Alone, grieving, and clinging to the last $50 she had in her wallet, she walked through the rain toward the grocery store, her sweater soaked through, her shoes squelching with every step.

The storm mirrored her inner turmoil, each drop a reminder of the hardships she had endured. She muttered to herself, “Just keep going, Emma.

Mom always said tough times don’t last forever.” At 23, she had never imagined herself here—broken, penniless, and struggling to make it through each day. The previous year had left her world in ruins: her parents, the only family she had ever known, had died in a car crash, leaving her adrift and alone. The grief had been suffocating, leaving her barely able to breathe under the weight of student loans, rent, and the overwhelming responsibility of surviving. That night, with her fridge empty and pantry bare, she had a list of essentials: bread, eggs, maybe some pasta. Nothing extravagant. Her inner voice urged her forward, whispering…