He Spoke Up For Me

I was five years old, standing in line to get on the school bus, inching my way towards the stairs. I took each step deliberately, careful not to fall on the pavement and scrape my elbows as I had done many times before. 

Then came a voice behind me. 

"WHY. ARE. YOU. SO. SLOW!" 

Each word was pronounced slowly and loudly, and together they took the breath out of me like a punch to the stomach. I turned slowly to face her, my face hot. I was stung and lost for words.

That's when my brother, my five-year-old, daydreaming, soft-spoken brother arrived at my side. I don't remember what he said to her, but what he said doesn't matter. He spoke up for me. He left her in stunned silence, and in that moment, he became my superhero.

After that day, I realized that we all have superpowers. We all have the ability to become someone's superhero. 

All we have to do is speak up.

______________________________________________________

{Linking up through Ellen's writing prompt.}