Selah:  a pause during which to reflect 

I experienced Selah last Thursday—both the definition above and the two-year-old girl version.  My lifelong friend was moving, so I had the privilege of watching her wispy-curled, rosebud-mouthed, Shirley Temple look-a-like, Selah! 

Keeping a two-year-old put my normal productivity on pause.  We played with the nesting doll and the rocking horse, played the piano, sang, pet the cat, read picture books, and had rest time.  The best part, though, was experiencing Selah at the grocery store!

I hoisted her into the front of the cart and buckled her up.  Just as we walked through the automatic doors, she noticed a stranger, lifted a dainty hand, and cooed, “Hi!”

The stranger smiled.

Selah’s friendliness continued when we saw a man stocking frozen pizzas.  He was wowed by her sweet smile, her wave, her high fresh-from-heaven voice. 

We strolled past a woman who was using a large crutch to hobble down the aisle.  I moved over to give her more room, and Selah smiled genuinely, waved, and said, “Hi!”  The woman smiled big, and I suddenly saw how whole she truly was!

I kissed Selah on the forehead and told her she was a sweetie.   She lifted both hands, smiled so hard her eyes almost closed, and literally shook with joy!  I copied her, and somehow we started dancing down the aisle.  “More,” she said.  I checked to see that no one was watching, and we danced and laughed some more.

Everyone we passed, Selah reached out to . . . old and young, ordinary and extraordinary.

In the checkout line, there was a woman with auburn hair wearing opaque black lipstick.  I was afraid Selah would point to her own lips and say something embarrassing.  Instead, she smiled her beguiling smile and said “Hi!”  The raven lips smiled innocently back.

The cashier had on a bright pink wig.  Love shined out of Selah onto her, too.  On our way out, one of the strangers she’d blessed came up to me and said, “She’s the sweetest baby I’ve ever seen!”  Since Selah is not my own child, I felt like I was allowed to say, “I know!  I’m watching her for my friend today.  She’s a little angel!”

Our cashier began calling her “Angel” and told her she’d look forward to seeing her next time.

Oh, to be like a little child!  Selah transformed bored faces into beaming.  She had no judgement for physical characteristics.  She loved everyone she saw!

I wish I could take that precious little girl to the grocery store with me every week!   She caused all of us weary shoppers to pause, to look at each other with smiling eyes, to feel a glimmer of the love of Jesus.