First Day Nerves and a Little Hero

Day one at the academy. My uniform was stiff, my nerves worse. But then I saw her—my little sister Avery, all smiles, tiny denim jacket, giant bow, and arms wide open.

“Bubba!” she squealed, running to me like I was a superhero. Just like that, my anxiety faded. Her belief in me made everything feel possible.

Throughout that grueling first day—drills, sweat, doubt—her voice kept me going: “You’re gonna catch bad guys!” I held onto those words when I wanted to quit.

Weeks passed. Training pushed me to my limits. But Avery never stopped believing. One day, she even snuck into the training area just to cheer for me. Her voice cut through the pain like lightning.

I made it through. And one day, I got a letter—I’d been nominated for a prestigious role usually reserved for top recruits. My instructors saw strength I hadn’t seen in myself.

But I knew who saw it first.

It wasn’t the academy that gave me courage. It was a seven-year-old girl with unshakable faith in her big brother.

When you feel like giving up, remember: sometimes, all it takes is one person who believes in you—even if they’re only three feet tall.