Two weeks ago, I discovered 60 unread messages in my inbox by chance. Most were spam, but one (from two years ago) was from a young woman who saw me on TV talking about Project 2020 after the untimely death of Tamar Brauner, the first participant in the project. Despite the time that had passed, I decided to get back to her.

Last Thursday, we met at her home. Liat, 20 and a half, exactly half my age, a beautiful, smiling, and intelligent girl, welcomed me into a small house she shares with her mother in one of the underprivileged neighborhoods of South Tel Aviv. The meeting was mystical; a few days earlier, I had been unexpectedly and dramatically fired from my job. This meeting with her put things into perspective for me.

Liat is the daughter of drug-addicted parents. At six months old, she was placed with a family who had just lost their daughter. She stayed there until she was five, then returned to her mother, who had recovered at the time. She sits in front of me, recounting a harsh and chilling life story, describing periods when her mother relapsed into drugs, months spent living with neighbors, life in a boarding school, returning home, and the onset of binge eating and food obsession that began three years ago. A beautiful, strong, and brave girl who has been raising herself for 20 years.

In the small room, childhood photos, school certificates of excellence, piles of books, and a board with empowering quotes she writes to herself are hanging. Daily reminders to herself of what a normal routine should be, reminding her where she needs to be. She shows me the book “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” which she returns to time and again, given to her by her commander in the army. The amazing and magical book has accompanied me in recent years too. On the pendant of her necklace is written one word: “to be.” She moved me to tears with her depth and life wisdom, which I did not expect from a girl who was only 20 years old.