I was running along the main street, approaching a pack of kids and parents who were gathered by a daycare center. The kids were blowing colorful bubbles that floated around. As I dashed through the crowd, I began to reach for them and watch them pop. Ahead of me, a little girl kicked a ball that crossed my line of stride. Just as I was reaching for another bubble, she began to scurry after her ball and turned up right in front of me. In a split second, my amusement with bubbles switched to preventing a crash. I gently braced her shoulders and shifted my hips to veer the momentum, sending me flying onto the pavement outside the group. I tucked my chin, rolled along my back, and raised onto my feet. It all happened in a seamless motion. Meanwhile, the parents watched and howled in shock, caution, and relief, like a kitten had just evaded being trampled by a bull. I turned back toward them, gave them two thumbs up, and continued running as though nothing had happened. There was no thought, it was just chi doing its thing.
My inner child never sleeps, and neither do my instincts. Later I find out this was International Children’s Day.