At the beginning of high school, my father surprised us with a gray and white bulldog mix puppy named Leo. Shortly after adopting him, Leo contracted parvovirus. This once lively puppy now refused to eat and kept vomiting. The veterinarian discussed with my parents the possibility of putting him down. With tears in my eyes, I turned to look at Leo. Even though he was the sick one, he gathered up all the strength in his body to comfort me. Leo is now five years old and, being a bulldog, we have spent a lot of time at the veterinarian. Although this memory has stuck with me, it is not why I decided to become a veterinarian. There is not one single experience that influenced my career choice. It is a collection of experiences throughout my life. I have always loved being around and taking care of animals. Therefore, I am pursuing college as a first-generation Hispanic student in hopes of becoming a veterinarian. As a current freshman, and a rising sophomore, my favorite part of this school year has been getting involved on my university campus. I am an active member of the Pre-Veterinary Club and Collegiate Livestock Association (CLGA) on campus. In the Pre-Veterinary Club, we learn about different veterinary schools, talk to practicing veterinarians, and have the opportunity to gain animal experience. My favorite events I have participated in are a hoof-trimming event and an endurance ride. At the hoof trimming event, I learned how to properly cut a sheep’s hooves and practiced on two sheep. At the endurance ride, I worked with an equine veterinarian to determine whether the horses were fit to continue racing. We took pulses and scribed for the vets. The aim of CLGA is to provide opportunities for students to work with livestock, which is perfect for me as I come from a big city. In this club, I got to attend a horse auction. I learned what statistics buyers are looking at and how an auction works. The club is actively fundraising, with events like ‘Kiss the Pig,’ so we can earn artificial insemination certificates in October 2024. The classes and events I have attended this school year only reinforce my love for animals and love of learning. In the future, I hope to specialize in exotic animals. I want to help endangered animal populations to ensure future generations have the opportunity to see the animals we love today, not just in history books, but in person. I am dedicated to becoming one of the 0.5% of practicing Hispanic veterinarians in the United States.

At the beginning of high school, my father surprised us with a gray and white bulldog mix puppy named Leo. Shortly after adopting him, Leo contracted parvovirus. This once lively puppy now refused to eat and kept vomiting. The veterinarian discussed with my parents the possibility of putting him down. With tears in my eyes, I turned to look at Leo. Even though he was the sick one, he gathered up all the strength in his body to comfort me. Leo is now five years old and, being a bulldog, we have spent a lot of time at the veterinarian. Although this memory has stuck with me, it is not why I decided to become a veterinarian. There is not one single experience that influenced my career choice. It is a collection of experiences throughout my life. I have always loved being around and taking care of animals. Therefore, I am pursuing college as a first-generation Hispanic student in hopes of becoming a veterinarian. As a current freshman, and a rising sophomore, my favorite part of this school year has been getting involved on my university campus. I am an active member of the Pre-Veterinary Club and Collegiate Livestock Association (CLGA) on campus. In the Pre-Veterinary Club, we learn about different veterinary schools, talk to practicing veterinarians, and have the opportunity to gain animal experience. My favorite events I have participated in are a hoof-trimming event and an endurance ride. At the hoof trimming event, I learned how to properly cut a sheep’s hooves and practiced on two sheep. At the endurance ride, I worked with an equine veterinarian to determine whether the horses were fit to continue racing. We took pulses and scribed for the vets. The aim of CLGA is to provide opportunities for students to work with livestock, which is perfect for me as I come from a big city. In this club, I got to attend a horse auction. I learned what statistics buyers are looking at and how an auction works. The club is actively fundraising, with events like ‘Kiss the Pig,’ so we can earn artificial insemination certificates in October 2024. The classes and events I have attended this school year only reinforce my love for animals and love of learning. In the future, I hope to specialize in exotic animals. I want to help endangered animal populations to ensure future generations have the opportunity to see the animals we love today, not just in history books, but in person. I am dedicated to becoming one of the 0.5% of practicing Hispanic veterinarians in the United States.

In 2020, when Covid was at its peak, my father became ill. Although it seemed to be a cold, it quickly progressed into heart failure and pneumonia. As it turns out, he did have COVID-19, but due to preexisting health issues, it took an extra toll on his body. A few weeks prior, I remember watching videos talking about the curse of 2020. People dancing while text on the screen explained the terrible events that happen throughout the year. I thought I was safe from the curse. I mean it was December, only one more month until this awful year was over. Unfortunately, I was wrong. My father was in the hospital for weeks fighting against the awful disease, while the rest of us were at home praying. After weeks of suspense and sorrow, my father passed away. The months after his death were the hardest. I had to join Zoom classes when all I wanted to do was cry—having to explain to my five-year-old brother why he couldn’t see his dad. Finding the motivation to do anything, especially school, was extremely difficult. But I knew I had to pull through. My father was the most hardworking person I’ve ever met. He left his family and life in Mexico to ensure his family could thrive. He always inspired us to pursue our dreams and excel in academics. I had to make him proud. And I did. On May 30, 2023, I graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA and graduated top 10% of my class. During graduation, my cap read “para mis padres” meaning “for my parents.” Everything I do is to make my parents, especially my father, proud. And I know he is extremely proud as I start college as an Animal Sciences student. In the future, I plan to become an exotic animal veterinarian and help preserve our planet’s biodiversity. I plan to travel the world and work in zoos to help populations of endangered and exotic animals. In turn, my actions will help increase animal populations to ensure future generations have the chance to see the animals we love today, in person, not just in history books. I plan to give back to my community by helping kids and students. It is a common misconception that you can only be a veterinarian if you want to work with animals. However, that is not the case. A few possible careers with animals include wildlife manager, mammalogist, animal lawyer, etc. I want to educate younger kids on possible careers with animals by bringing in specialists. Additionally, I want to work with high school and college students to help them gain animal experience and connections to future internships and jobs.

In 2020, when Covid was at its peak, my father became ill. Although it seemed to be a cold, it quickly progressed into heart failure and pneumonia. As it turns out, he did have Covid, but due to preexisting health issues, it took an extra toll on his body. A few weeks prior, I remember watching videos talking about the curse of 2020. People dancing while text on screen explained the terrible events that happen all throughout the year. I thought I was safe from the curse. I mean it was December, only one more month until this awful year was over. Unfortunately, I was wrong. My father was in the hospital for weeks fighting against the awful disease, while the rest of us were at home praying. After weeks of suspense and sorrow, my father passed away. The months after his death were the hardest. Having to join Zoom classes when all I wanted to do was cry. Having to explain to my five-year-old brother why he couldn’t see his dad. Trying to find the motivation to do anything, especially school, was extremely difficult. But I knew I had to pull through. My father was the most hardworking person I’ve ever met. He left his family and life in Mexico to ensure his family could thrive. He always inspired us to pursue our dreams and excel in academics. I had to make him proud. And I did. On May 30, 2023, I graduated from high school with a 4.0 GPA and graduated top 10% of my class. During graduation, my cap read “para mis padres” meaning “for my parents.” Everything I do is to make my parents, especially my father, proud. And I know he is extremely proud as I start college as an Animal Sciences student. In the future, I plan to become an exotic animal veterinarian and preserve our planet’s biodiversity. I plan to travel the world and work in zoos to help populations of endangered and exotic animals. In turn, my actions will help increase animal populations to ensure future generations have the chance to see the animals we love today, in person, not just in history books. I plan to give back to my community by helping kids and students. I want to educate younger kids on possible careers with animals, aside from veterinarian. Additionally, I want to work with high school and college students to help them gain animal experience and connections to future internships and jobs.

My future self is dedicated to helping exotic animals, ensuring future generations have the chance to enjoy the animals we love today in person, rather than just in history books.

Hard work is a skill I learned early on. The hardest worker I have ever met was my father. He continually sacrificed a ton for his family. Not only did he move to the United States, away from his family, he worked extremely hard to make sure we had food on the table and new opportunities. Five days a week, sometimes six, my father would wake up at 5 AM for work and come home around 5 PM. Yet, he would still make time for his family. At the beginning of freshman year, I promised my parents I would graduate high school with a 4.0 GPA. Coming from a low-income Hispanic household, I have always known college is a luxury we cannot afford. However, my parents always encouraged me to perform well in school to be deserving of scholarships, just like this one, to be able to afford a higher education. This promise would turn out to be the most difficult challenge I’ve ever faced, but my biggest accomplishment to date. As freshman year passed, I was staying true to my word. I got straight A’s in all my classes and even challenged myself to take Spanish Honors and Algebra Honors. Additionally, I was spending my free time as a math tutor once, maybe twice, a week. Since I had done so well my freshman year, I decided to also take honor classes my sophomore year, even though it was online. I took Geometry Honors, Chemistry Honors, and World History Honors. However, it was starting to get harder and harder to maintain my goal. The workload was more than I anticipated since I was spending over four hours on homework every night. As if that weren’t enough, around December, my father fell ill. My father was experiencing, what we thought, were symptoms of a cold. However, a test quickly revealed that he was positive for Covid-19. At first, his symptoms weren’t severe, but his health quickly began to decline. He was admitted to the hospital, while the rest of us were at home praying. It was a very depressing period of my life. Having to join a Zoom class every weekday and trying my best not to cry in front of the camera. Having to do hours and hours of homework when all I wanted to do was cry in bed. And on December 29, 2020, my worst nightmare came true. As I prepared my coffee early in the morning, I could sense something was off. My mom and sister were being too quiet. I immediately knew what was coming. The news hit us like a bag of bricks. It felt unreal, like a fever dream. My father had passed away. Afterward, I remember receiving emails from my teachers saying they were sorry to hear the news and were willing to accommodate. As I was drafting up emails about possible extensions, I thought about what my father would say. He would never take the easy way out and I decided I wouldn’t either. Instead of feeling sorry for myself, I decided to push myself harder and meet the goal I set for myself my freshman year like my father would’ve wanted. He was my biggest motivation. Without the morals he instilled in me, I would’ve slacked off. And although this was my first incident dealing with death, it was not my last. In junior year, my aunt passed away; and during my senior year, my childhood dog, Bella, also passed away. These people, even my dog, were important figures in my life. They all encouraged me to pursue an Animal Science degree, so it was devastating to lose them. Nonetheless, I persevered and thrived. I dedicated over forty hours as a math tutor, volunteered around the community as a National Honors Society and Key Club member, and helped arrange our school’s first prom fashion show. This is why I consider myself a hard worker. I set a long-term goal and worked extremely hard over four years to make it happen. Even when I had to face the biggest challenge of my life, losing my dad. On May 30, 2023, I graduated with honors and a 4.0 GPA, just like I promised. During graduation, my cap read “para mis padres” meaning “for my parents.” Everything I do is to make my parents, especially my father, proud. And I know he is extremely proud as I enter my first year of college in the fall.

What do you want to be when you grow up? This is a question we all have been asked in middle school. Ever since I was a little girl, I knew in my heart that I wanted to work with animals. My interest in animals started at a young age when I would watch YouTube videos of caretakers feeding lions and documentaries on chimpanzees. My passion for animals, along with some other factors, has encouraged me to pursue a degree in Animal Sciences. A huge factor was my father. My father was always an essential part of my support system. He fueled my love for animals by adopting and rescuing different dogs throughout my childhood. I can’t remember a time when no dogs were running around in the backyard and hallways. However, one dog, in particular, is very dear to me. When I was five years old, my dad got me my very first dog. She was a small, fluffy, Maltese puppy named Bella. I loved her and loved caring for her. I learned to properly groom, feed, train, and play with her. I will forever cherish the memories we made together, as she was my childhood champion. Since then, I have had the joy of owning multiple other pets: such as a chihuahua, a bulldog, a hamster, and three guinea pigs. I have always been surrounded by animals, and plan to be in the future. In the future, I plan to use my degree to help preserve our planet’s biodiversity, in turn making the world a better place. My long-term career goal is to open an animal sanctuary for exotic animals using the knowledge and experience gained from my degree. Humans, as a whole, have continually harmed animals through poaching, habitat destruction, and through the exotic pet trade. Therefore, I would like to do some good by protecting exotic animals, both in captivity and the wild, ensuring they have the chance to flourish. My sanctuary would not only rescue exotic animals from bad situations, but ensure they live the best life possible by offering balanced diets, proper exercise, mental enrichment, and limited human contact. Additionally, I plan to provide medical care for injured animals in the wild, without abducting them from their home. In turn, my actions will help increase the populations of exotic and endangered animals to ensure future generations have the chance to see the animals we love today. However, it is extremely difficult for one organization to change the world. Not only will I strive to make a change, but I will also aim to motivate others too. Another main goal of my sanctuary is to engage with and educate the public. I grew up with YouTubers and influencers, like Coyote Peterson, who played an important role in my childhood. He helped me realize I had a passion for animals by teaching me about animals I didn’t even know existed and the needs of different species. I would like to follow in his footsteps by creating a presence in the community and on social media to teach the public about animals, stop harmful misinformation, and inspire little kids all around the world to pursue an animal-related career. In short, my childhood passions have inspired me to pursue a degree in Animal Sciences. Although striving for a STEM degree is challenging, I am committed to making it happen. The satisfaction from saving animals, and our planet, is enough motivation to see it through. Additionally, my pursuit will, hopefully, teach others the importance of preserving biodiversity and inspire others to make a change.

When quarantine was issued in 2020, I had a hard time adapting. Switching from in-person school to online school, constantly being home, and not being able to visit my dad in the hospital was especially hard for me. Despite having my world turned around, I always had my comfort movie to rely on: The Princess and the Frog. My favorite Disney character is Tiana because she worked hard despite the cards she was dealt and we have similar relationships with our fathers. The biggest reason why Tiana is my favorite Disney character is because she had to work harder than everyone else, yet still never gave up. Throughout the movie, Tiana encounters many naysayers. One example being the Fenner Brothers. They told Tiana that a woman of her “background” wouldn’t be able to run a successful business. The background which they refer to is the fact that she is a poverty-stricken, African American woman. Comments like this never stopped Tiana from trying. In addition, Charlotte, Tiana’s best friend, comes from the richest family in town. Charlotte had everything served to her on a silver platter. Yet, Tiana never asked Charlotte for any handouts or resented her for having everything. Tiana believed that hard work was the key to becoming successful and making your dreams a reality. Another reason why Tiana is my favorite is because Tiana tries to honor her father, just as I try to honor mine. James, Tiana’s father, would have to work double, sometimes even triple shifts, to support his family. But his dream was to open up a restaurant and share his love of cooking with the world. After his death, Tiana worked hard to make this dream a reality. One thing my father and I dreamed of was me getting a higher education. At a young age, my father had to drop out of school to get a job. He always said that if he had the opportunity, he would go back to school. However, he wasn’t able to make this a reality before he passed. I am trying to honor my father by pursuing a higher education. This is why for at least six months, I would watch the Princess and the Frog daily. Tiana is a reminder that working hard does pay off. Never let naysayers or other people’s circumstances let you believe that your dream cannot be accomplished. Never stop dreaming big!

Growing up as a child of immigrant parents, I was always encouraged to pursue a higher education. My parents moved to the United States before I was born to ensure I could easily learn the language and so I could have many more opportunities in life. One of the biggest opportunities being education. Pursuing a college degree is important to me because it would make my parents proud and it would help me achieve my dream of being an animal caretaker. Earning a college degree would make my parents proud because it would show them that I am working towards achieving a goal. One thing I admired about my parents, my dad specifically, was his strong work ethic. For as long as I can remember, my dad would wake up at 5:30 AM to go to work and come home around 5:00 PM. Not once would he complain about his role in providing for the family, instead he would always say “Hagas lo que hagas, ponle ganas.” In other words, no matter what we decide to do in life, we should always work hard to achieve it. I am adapting his mentality and working hard towards furthering my education by taking honor classes, being involved in extracurriculars, and applying for scholarships. Although my father has since passed, it would make him proud to know that I am working toward bettering myself and my future. Not only does pursuing a higher education allow me to make my parents proud, it would also make me proud to achieve my dream of becoming an animal caretaker. At a young age, I always knew that I wanted to work with animals as a career. I would watch YouTube videos of animal caretakers feeding lions, playing with baby chimpanzees, and explaining how enclosures are different depending on the animal. From that point forward, I knew I wanted to rehabilitate injured animals and help endangered species. Furthering my education by getting a degree in Animal Sciences would allow me to achieve my goal of becoming an animal caretaker just like the ones I saw on TV. And after years of experience with working with animals, I would like to start my own animal sanctuary for rehabilitating injured animals and helping the population of endangered species. In short, earning a college degree is important to me for a variety of reasons. Pursuing a higher education would make my parents proud and ensure their actions would not be in vain. And earning a degree in Animal Science would help me earn my dream job of becoming an animal caretaker. I will continue to work hard throughout my last year of high school and throughout college to earn a college degree.

Growing up as a child of immigrant parents, I was always encouraged to pursue a higher education. My parents moved to the United States before I was born to ensure I could easily learn the language and so I could have many more opportunities in life. One of the biggest opportunities being education. Pursuing a higher education is important to me because it would make my parents proud, it would help me achieve my dream of being an animal caretaker, and it grows self-dependency skills. Chasing after a higher education would make my parents proud because it would show them that I am working towards achieving a goal. One thing I admired about my parents, my dad specifically, was his strong work ethic. For as long as I can remember, my dad would wake up at 5:30 AM to go to work and come home around 5:00 PM. Not once would he complain about his role in providing for the family, instead he would always say “Hagas lo que hagas, ponle ganas.” In other words, no matter what we decide to do in life, we should always work hard to achieve it. I am adapting his mentality and working hard towards furthering my education by taking honor classes, being involved in extracurriculars, and applying for scholarships. Although my father has since passed, it would make him proud to know that I am working toward bettering myself and my future. Not only does pursuing a higher education allow me to make my parents proud, it would also make me proud to achieve my dream of becoming an animal caretaker. At a young age, I always knew that I wanted to work with animals as a career. I would watch YouTube videos of animal caretakers feeding lions, playing with baby chimpanzees, and explaining how enclosures are different depending on the animal. From that point forward, I knew I wanted to rehabilitate injured animals and help endangered species. Furthering my education by getting a degree in Animal Sciences would allow me to achieve my goal of becoming an animal caretaker just like the ones I saw on TV. And after years of experience with working with animals, I would like to start my own animal sanctuary for rehabilitating injured animals and helping the population of endangered species. In addition to receiving a degree, college and university can further my learning by making me self-dependent. It is a dramatic change from being in high school to being in college. In high school, I follow a stricter schedule. I start school at 8:00 AM and then go to my classes depending on the provided schedule. It is the same basic outline for most high school students. But in college, I get to customize my schedule by picking my classes, what time they begin, what days I have classes. And most classes would be centered around my major. It is up to me and my needs to make my own schedule. College and university promote self-dependence because it models adult life. I will have to learn how to be responsible for my classes, my grades, and my job with no help from others. In short, higher education is important for a variety of reasons. Pursuing a higher education would make my parents proud and ensure their actions would not be in vain. Earning a degree in Animal Science would help me earn my dream job of becoming an animal caretaker. And the college experience would create independence from others.

Growing up as a child of immigrant parents, my parents always encouraged me to pursue a higher education. My parents moved to the United States before I was born to ensure I could easily learn the language and so I could have more opportunities in life. One big opportunity being education. Learning is important to me because it is a way to make my parents proud, it would help me achieve my dream, and it promotes independence. Chasing after a higher education would make my parents proud because it would show them that I am working hard towards achieving a goal. One thing I admired about my parents, my dad specifically, was his strong work ethic. For as long as I can remember, my dad would wake up at 5:30 AM to go to work and come home around 5:00 PM. Not once would he complain about his role in providing for the family, instead he would always say “Hagas lo que hagas, ponle ganas.” In other words, no matter what we decide to do in life, we should always work hard to achieve it. I am working hard towards furthering my education by taking honor classes, being involved in extracurriculars, and applying for scholarships and colleges. Although my father has since passed, it would make him proud to know that I am working toward bettering myself and my future. Not only does learning allow me to make my parents proud, it would also make me proud to achieve my dream of becoming an animal caretaker. At a young age, I always knew that I wanted to work with animals as a career. I would watch YouTube videos of animal caretakers feeding lions or playing with baby chimpanzees. Ever since, I knew I wanted to rehabilitate injured animals and help endangered species. Furthering my education by getting a degree in Animal Sciences would allow me to achieve my goal of becoming an animal caretaker just like the ones I saw on TV. And after years of experience with working with animals, I would like to start my own animal sanctuary for exotic and endangered species. Furthermore, I plan to continue learning by picking up important life skills. Not only does learning apply to subjects like mathematics and science, it also applies to learning how to woodwork or fixing a broken sink. I would like to learn these basic necessities because it will make me independent from others. For instance, if my sink was really broken, I would not have to rely on a plumber. Waiting for a plumber might take days depending on availability. But if I knew how to fix a sink, I would be able to fix it as soon as possible. Not only would my sink be fixed faster, I would be able to save money from not hiring a professional. All that being said, learning is important to me because it would make my parents proud, it would help me earn my dream career, and I would learn how to be self dependent. I believe continuing to learn, despite your age, should be important because knowledge is a very powerful tool that opens many new and exciting windows.

December 29, 2020 was my first time ever dealing with the loss of a loved one. The year 2020 was difficult for many due to Covid, quarantine, and the economic recession. I had heard many personal stories of families dealing with the loss of a loved one and of the struggle of keeping steady employment. However, I never expected to be personally affected. Early December, my father tested positive for Covid. This led to a quick decline in his health. Over the span of a few weeks, my father experienced heart problems and pneumonia. And after what would be our very first Christmas without him, he passed away. The loss of my father encouraged me to focus on my family and fight for a higher education. One thing I admired about my father was his strong work ethic. For as long as I can remember, my dad would wake up at 5:30 AM to go to work and come home around 5:00 PM. Despite whether it was raining or if he had injured a finger, he would always show up to work. I never once heard him complain about doing his job and his hard work paid off. He received recognition for his hard work and was able to financially support his family of six. His diligence and hard work inspired me to chase after my dreams of going to college. Around the time my father passed, I was still in school. However, I channeled my negative feelings of sadness and grief into dedication and perseverance. I knew my father would not have let anything affect his work, so I adapted his mentality. I did not let anything interfere with my dreams of going to college. I took honor classes, I stayed up for hours doing homework, and I pushed myself; in addition to spending time with my family, as my dad would've wanted. And my hard work and dedication paid off. I currently have a 4.0 GPA and I am applying for colleges and scholarships. As per my father’s wishes, and mine, I am working towards a higher education. But not only did my father encourage me to go to college, he also helped me discover my love for animals. September 2019, my dad adopted a cute, little bulldog puppy, who we named Leo. We had owned a few dogs before Leo, but Leo specifically sparked my interest in animals. Leo is now three years old. Since then, I have learned how to better take care of dogs. For example, I learned how to clean his wrinkles, how to clean his ears, and how to cut his nails. Taking care of Leo has been a challenge, but it has been very rewarding. Thanks to my dad and love for animals, I am deciding to pursue a degree in Animal Sciences. With this degree, I am planning on being an animal caretaker and working with exotic animals. And one day, I might open up my very own animal sanctuary. All that being said, dealing with a loss of a loved one is always difficult. It did not get easier when dealing with the loss of my aunt and my very first family dog. However, I choose to deal with my grief constructively by fighting obstacles thrown my way. I will continue to feed my ambition and hard work, as I know it will take me far in life.

For as long as I can remember, I've always had a companion. In the year 2010, when I was only a mere five years old, we adopted a cute, fluffy Maltese puppy. We decided to name her Bella. My companion dog was with me to celebrate countless birthdays, to celebrate all the holidays, and to celebrate my first day of high school for all four years. Together we created so many amazing and impactful memories. But after twelve wonderful years, she recently passed away. However, her impact on my life will never be forgotten. My dog played a huge role in my mental health. After a rough day at school, I could always count on her to boost my mood. For instance, she loved to go outside and play her all time favorite game, fetch. She was not very good at bringing the ball back but it made her happy to chase after the ball. Watching Bella run around, roll in the grass, and destroy countless tennis balls, melted all the negative feelings of stress and anxiety I had been feeling that day. Another one of our favorite activities was putting on a Disney movie, making a quick snack, and cuddling. Well I would be the one watching the movie, while she was snoring away. But moments like this reduced my feelings of loneliness. I knew that at the end of the day, I would always have someone I could count on to provide companionship and love. Not only did Bella improve my mental health, she also helped improve my physical health. One of the most distinct memories I have of Bella is taking her to the local park. She loved to walk laps around the park and bark at our neighbors walking our way. Having a dog means that you will be at your peak physical health. I had never been as active as I was when I was chasing after Bella, when she repeatedly tried to escape the house, or when I challenged her to a race to prove which one of us was the fastest. Watching her slowly age, and eventually pass, was very challenging to say the least. However, I choose to focus on the happy memories and all the ways she improved my life. I may not be able to physically hold her or play with her, but I will carry her essence with me wherever I may go in life.