Be Brave, Ben

Every morning before school, Ben and Mum had a little ritual. At the green door, Mum gave him one big, warm hug.

“Be brave, Ben,” she whispered.

And Ben always whispered back, “I’ll try, Mum.”

But this morning, Ben held on a little longer.

“What if today is hard?” he asked.

Mum took his paw and pressed it gently against hers. “Then take a little brave from me.”

Ben closed his paw, put it against his heart, and then tucked it into his pocket.

“For later?” he asked.

“For whenever you need it,” Mum smiled.

At school, when something felt a little too big, Ben put his paw into his pocket and squeezed.

Mum wasn’t there. But her brave was.

“Then take a little brave from me.”