Whenever I go back to India with my family, I always witness the things that happen outside our home. There are people struggling on the street, people living in train stations, and people begging for food. We often just see these people, and dismiss their lives as insignificant to our own - never thinking about their stories. I wrote Garlands hoping that I could illustrate one possible story - the struggle of an orphaned young girl. By telling this story, I hope to bring to light how people, not only in my country, but around the world, can be so selfless despite their circumstances. I hope that by reading this story, you will be able to see the courage people have in their lives, and realize how special and unique every single life is. I want to help people understand that every life has a story that is worth telling. By Adhirai Muthukumar