For as long as I can remember, I have always had such a strong connection with my childhood stuffed animal, Curtsey. Originally, she was in my older sister’s possession, but this pink, Beanie Babies cat was passed on to me after I was born. I remember cuddling with her every night and bundling her up in my blankets in case she got “cold”. I would always prop her into a sleeping position with her head rested on my pillow, merely to ensure she received optimal comfort. She was (and still is) such a prized possession of mine; she’s essentially a member of my family! At every vacation and social gathering, she was with me, safely tucked into my pink Hello Kitty polka dot purse, which was usually filled with random childhood knick-knacks.

Curtsey has always made me feel safe and comfortable, and whenever I see her, I remember my childhood memories. I recall my mom asking me, if there was a fire (hypothetically), and I could only save one object (not a living thing), what would it be? My first thought was always Curtsey. Curtsey was my everything. 

The special thing about a stuffed animal like Curtsey was that she would consistently be there to console me when I was sad and she would listen to me constantly babble about elementary school gossip (she was a great secret keeper). She was essentially my built-in best friend… until I lost her.

After coming home from my sixth-grade camp at an outdoor education program, I decided to unpack my travel bag. During the trip, I had brought Curtsey along with me, as I  regularly did. When I unzipped the bag, I began to unpack and take out all of the items I brought with me… until I noticed that Curtsey was nowhere to be seen. I began to panic and double-checked that she wasn’t concealed under any clothes, or hidden in any secret pockets. Still, she was nowhere to be seen! I started to cry, questioning if I had left her at camp. How stupid was I to lose her at a place 3 hours away?! I checked everywhere: upstairs, downstairs, every bathroom, every cabinet, etc..Still, nothing! I spent a whole week mourning my life without her, as I had lost the thing that was most meaningful to me. 

In the morning, many days later, while driving to school, I noticed something pink underneath the passenger car seat. As I reached to inspect it, I instantly knew that it was her. Curtsey was here! The amount of relief and joy I felt was immense, and I picked her up into my arms and held her tight. I promised her that I would never lose her again, and that promise has not yet been broken.