I grew up in a single-parent household with my mom working, going to school, and raising my brother and me as latchkey kids.We were very self-sufficient from a very early age.There was a lot of hardship, but everyone goes through hardship.It did help me in a number of ways.We were poor immigrants.My dad came to the US—he was a pharmacist in India.But his degree wasn’t accepted here, so he worked in a hardware store.Not a great upbringing, you know.My family split up.My mother uniquely provided, against the background of hardship, unconditional and unfailing love.If you have nothing in your life, but you have at least one person that loves you unconditionally, it’ll do wonders for your self-esteem.We were in a part of New York City that isn’t very safe.Basically, the library was my after-school center.After I came back from school, I would just go straight to the library and hang out there until they closed.Then, I would come home.That was my daily routine.