Something Takes Precedence

I had just finished food shopping in one store.
I was heading to my Whole Foods market to shop there.
As I got into the car, my phone rang with the Waltons ring tone.
That ring tone is only for my family.

I looked down to see that it was my daughter.
This daughter is the mother of my granddaughter.
I love those Mom kind of phone calls.
Whether it is a story about something she is doing or a question; her call is always welcome.

In the middle of her story, the phone call was lost.
I tried to call her back but it went right to voicemail.
I tried a second time and the same thing happened.
I decided to drive the short distance to my Whole Foods market.

As I pulled into the parking space my phone rang again.
The same Waltons ring tone told me that family was calling.
I knew without even looking that it was my daughter.
We finished our conversation.

I could hear tiny baby sounds that is music to my ears.
You’re all smiles today, my daughter said to her daughter.
I could picture the smile that begins in the mouth and extends to her whole body.
My granddaughter’s whole body exudes joy when she smiles.

I noticed that I was getting a Face time request.
I accepted to find that my daughter turned the camera to my granddaughter.
My sweet little granddaughter saw me on the phone.
That precious smile began on her lips; very soon her arms and legs were moving as well.

I love you, I said to her as she wriggled in delight.
Are you Grandma’s girl? I asked in the same tone I always use with her.
I love my Ella, and my Ella loves…ME! I said with the same inflection she is used to hearing.
I repeated that sentence; she waited for the word, ME, that I purposely withhold for a time.

Her whole body was smiling; her whole body exuded joy.
She recognized my face through the phone.
She recognized the sound of my voice.
It’s a dangerous thing when a grandchild exudes joy in your presence.

Whatever you are doing that caused so much joy, you do even more.
Whatever you are saying that brought smiles to their face, you say even more.
Your inflection is higher pitched, almost sing-song-y.
They love it; which makes you do it more.

It is a wondrous circle.
You talk, they smile.
You talk more, they “talk” back to you.
You talk back to them and they move their arms and legs wildly.

God designed it that way.
He designed babies to respond so sweetly.
That is the way language begins.
That is the way communication starts.

The more my granddaughter smiled, the more animated I became.
The more animated I became, the higher my voice rose in pitch.
All of a sudden, it hit me.
I was in a parking lot with other cars around me.

I turned to my right and saw a young girl eating her lunch in her car.
I looked in front of me and saw a man walking on the sidewalk.
I looked to the left of me and a car was pulling out of the parking space.
I was not alone; my precious granddaughter was not the only one who saw my performance.

And it did not matter a bit.
I could have been certifiably mad for all they knew.
I could have been talking to myself.
I could have been having a conversation on speaker phone.

In reality I was talking to my granddaughter.
Technology allowed me to talk to her in the parking lot of my local Whole Foods.
I was not going to talk to her differently because people were around.
That conversation with her took precedence.

Once when they had finished eating and drinking in Shiloh, Hannah stood up. Now Eli the priest was sitting on his chair by the doorpost of the Lord’s house. In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, “Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.” “Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord. Do not take your servant for a wicked woman; I have been praying here out of my great anguish and grief.” Eli answered, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him.” She said, “May your servant find favor in your eyes.” Then she went her way and ate something, and her face was no longer downcast. Early the next morning they arose and worshiped before the Lord and then went back to their home at Ramah. Elkanah made love to his wife Hannah, and the Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, “Because I asked the Lord for him.” (1 Samuel 1:9-28)

Hannah desperately wanted to have a child.
Up to this point, she was not able to get pregnant.
She prayed to the Lord.
In her anguish, her lips were moving but no sound was heard.

Eli, the priest, thought she had too much wine.
She told him that she had not been drinking but rather she was troubled.
She was pouring her heart out to the Lord.
She did not care who saw her; something else more important took precedence.

The Lord heard Hannah’s prayer.
The Lord was mindful of her heart cry.
The Lord opened her womb.
Hannah gave birth to a son, who was Samuel, the prophet of the Lord.

I understand Hannah.
Sometimes it does not matter who is watching.
Something more important takes precedence.
Talking to my granddaughter could not wait, no matter who was around me.