On Sunday afternoons, I help direct Selah – a choir of Jewish adults with special needs.
Some choir members are in wheelchairs, some non-verbal, some have down syndrome – but all share a love of music and singing. Selah rehearsals are filled with joy, spirit, laughter, hand clapping, toe-tapping, egg-shaking, and swaying. God’s presence can truly be felt as the Selah members lift their voices in song.
Sadly, we lost Joanie, one of our sweet Selah members in July. Edie, Joanie’s cousin/guardian (who always brought her to Selah rehearsals), called to tell me Joanie was on life support and in ICU. I asked if I could come to the hospital and sit with her.
When I arrived, a machine was breathing for Joanie. She was unconscious and I held her hand and sang. My breath carried words of psalms and prayers which I hoped she could somehow hear, which I hoped brought her cousin Edie some comfort, which I hoped could reach the angels on high. It was a sacred moment. God’s presence was in that ICU room.
Not long after I arrived, the ventilator was removed. Joanie took a few shallow breaths on her own, reached her arms up (to the angels?) and a few seconds later, took her last breath and died. I continued to sing softly, hoping my breath was helping to carry her spirit up to heaven.
Selah will miss Joanie, her enthusiasm, her laughter, and her love of music. We will honor her memory by continuing to lift our voices in song. Kol Ha-Neshamah T’hallel Yah-All of our souls will praise God. May Joanie’s memory always be for a blessing.