Lilyma Khan wished to be a chef like her father. When she was three years old, she’d watch her father ______ for the entire neighbourhood in his restaurant. But these evenings, filled with food, laughter, and warmth, were ______ —at the age of 5, her parents died.

______ five years old, Lilyma had to face the ______ of her parents. At the same time she would also face the struggle to ______ herself, looking for food from dustbins.

Later she went into Kilkari Rainbow-Home where everything ______ for Lilyma. She got access and opportunity to give ______ to her dreams. After finishing Class 12, she was able to earn money by working at a ______ thanks to a-charitable organisation that provides skills training to ______ young adults.

______ to cook for the staff at the restaurant, the ambitious teen was not ______. She wanted to cook for the customers of the restaurant, and was ready to ______ the effort.

Seeing her ______, the chefs at the restaurant slowly took her under their wings and ______ teaching her basics. Today, Lilyma leads a team of 35 people at Dear Donna.

“Have courage to move ahead in life. From being hungry all the time, I am now able to feed many. You too can achieve your dreams,” says Lilyma, with ______ in her voice.

No matter how my day is going, when I walk into the classroom, I immediately feel better and happier. I’d like to think that I am also a little younger, well, _________ at heart.

Health problems forced me to retire early. After years in a high-pressure environment, I felt a little _________ without the day to day business that _________ me.

I began doing writing, but something was _________ missing. That was, ___________ I began reading to four delightful classrooms of preschoolers. The children I _________ to are between the ages of two and five and come from a variety of backgrounds.

Each week when I arrive at one of their classrooms, I am _________ by happy calls of “It’s Miss Jeannie, the story Lady!” I’m nearly tackled(绊倒) by ten or more small ___________ giving me “knee hugs”.

_______ in a circle, we all enjoy two or more books together. They delight me with their laughter, their questions and their innocence, as we ________________ topics from the world around us and share the wonder of imagination. They teach me to ________________the simple joys of childhood.

I hope that I am helping them ________________ what can be found within books and that books will become their friends. I know they are giving me ________________ I could give them. For those few minutes there each week, I am ______________. I put aside my ________________ and I look at the world through ______________ eyes.

The magic of this association does not ________________ there. Out in the community, I feel a sweet touch in my heart when one of them recognizes me, pulls his or her mother or father’s sleeve and ________________ declares, “It’s the story lady!”

____________ the parent can pull the child back, I am suddenly given a joyful ________________ and though my body is growing older, my heart grows younger.