She stood tall and calm

Today something happened- something totally unexpected. My 7 year old spoke up in support of her sister. Now she has always been her sister’s advocate trying to carefully read labels and asking if products have gluten, holding her hand in parking lots. She IS a great big sister. Today was different because today there were others involved; she had a choice to remain silent or to speak up and speak up she did. We were at the library which is our favorite place to spend an afternoon where apparently two boys were laughing at her little sister. Her little 5 year old sister was playing with puppets and I guess the boys were making fun of her and so she asked them to stop. She told them that she has Down syndrome and they should not laugh at her. She then came over to get me and while I while still trying to figure out what was going on, I heard her say to the now embarrassed and very quiet little boys- I told you that my sister has Down syndrome and it is a disability and that means that you should not make fun of her. Now I understand what had transpired. I looked at the boys who looked at me with an uneasy nervousness and I quietly asked them if they had any questions about Down syndrome and they both meekly said no. I then told her that everything was ok now and took a small turn into the adult nonfiction and fought back tears. At that moment I loved my 7 year old more than I thought I could love her—I saw in her stance and her words passion and strength beyond her 7 years. She stood tall and calm and firm. My youngest who happens to have Down syndrome has many gifts and one of them being that her very existence brings out the best in our family.