She stopped to pet the lion. No, it wasn’t dangerous. In fact, there was nothing in it to fear (except maybe the strange looks from other pedestrians). This lion was as still and as silent as a sculpture. Yes, really. It was a sculpture. But it was there, standing in her path simply begging to be petted.
Somehow, this moment describes Molly perfectly. A girl willing to step outside her comfort zone when given the right opportunity, risk incredulous stares from stranger for a really good reason, and make a memory in the process: the day she pet a lion. A girl excited about life and relishing even the most mundane moments: even a concrete statue. A girl boldly and gladly enjoying the little moments afforded her: including a stone-cold piece of sidewalk art.
Lovely! (And I like her taste in earrings.)