The story of a memory that resurfaced as I was getting ready to move back in October:

Sitting in a large closet in a room full of boxes and bags containing most of my belongings, I am packing up to move on to the next phase of my life. This is always a somewhat nostalgic process as I stumble upon items that may have been lost from memory until physically resurfacing. There are a few items that  I hold dear every time the resurface because of the memories that flood back the instant I see them. A photograph from my 13th birthday party… a small stuffed dog that my best friend and I passed back and forth… an envelope full of purple heart beads and a rock that marked the death of “The Noodles.” But this time the one that struck me most was my well-loved stuffed Simba toy. As I pick it up, I’m transported back to the day I got him.

7-year-old Erin was sitting on her bed after a day full of friends and laughter. Her mom and dad were coming in after checking on her then 4 brothers and sister to make sure she was all ready for bed. Her dad asked her how her day had been, since he had been at work and she proceeded to tell him all about playing with her friend, Lindsay, and how Lindsay had the softest, most adorable Simba toy she had ever seen. Lion King being her favorite movie only made this toy even more amazing. Her parents listened, fully engaged in second-hand excitement and joy.

After she was done telling her story, Erin’s dad stepped out of the room and her mom began to finish tucking her in. Before she could finish, however, her dad came back in carrying her shoes and a jacket. “Come on!” he said. Erin was confused. Where was she going? Did she have to get dressed? It was past her bed time, this made no sense. She put her shoes on, pajamas and all and followed her dad down to their red Dodge Caravan and off they went. Despite asking many times where they were going, her dad only said that it was a surprise. Eventually they pulled into a plaza in their small Ohio town and parked in front of the 24-hour K-Mart. Going inside, they walked back to the toy section and she held her breath as her dad pulled the exact same Simba toy off the shelf and walked it up to the register. She held the toy close as they drove home.

I know this is a small thing, but it is one of few memories that I hold somewhat vividly from my childhood and that ragged old stuffed animal is something I will always cherish because of the memory it evokes every time I see and hold it.