My Older Brother

Once when I was about 10 years old, living in Michigan, I went on a bike ride with my older brother and one of my sisters. To get to our destination we had to cross a two-lane highway that had no median. Since there was nowhere to stop halfway across the road, crossing it required careful timing. We had to watch for cars coming both ways, and dart across when there was a semi-lengthy break in the action.

This particular afternoon my brother and sister were watching the cars, and when there was a break they both yelled, "Okay! Now!" and took off across the highway. I also looked both ways, but hesitated a little because I could see cars in the distance, then finally took off after them. My hesitation cost me, though, because while they made it safely across, by the time I got to the middle of the road the cars were nearly upon me and I couldn't complete the crossing. I could only turn my bike sideways so that I was straddling the middle line, and then I sat, pretty much paralyzed with fear, while the traffic whizzed by me on both sides.

Every time there was a break in the traffic, my siblings would yell, "Cross, Lecia! Come on!" But I was too scared to move, so I just sat there, tears running down my face.

Then, like I knew he would, my brother came for me. He left his bike on the side of the road and ran out to the middle, where he took my handle bars and guided me safely to the other side.

How grateful I was that day to have an older brother to save me. I was hopelessly stuck, unable to move, afraid, crying, but my brother made it all okay again.

Today my older brother is the one hurting, and I would run head-on into ten tons of traffic to save him if I could, but I can't. I just hope he knows how much I love him, and that I'm on the lookout for our Older Brother to come and save him...I'm pretty sure He's on His way, or maybe that He's already here.