Exotic yet ordinary

This afternoon I watched as a young girl slowly tumbled from one end of the block to the other. Starting at the corner shop, she lifted her arms and bent backwards, arching to the ground and connecting before walking over. She turned and then stood briefly on her hands before toppling over in another arch, catching herself with her feet and standing. Then, hand-hand-foot-foot, she completed a fluid cartwheel. She repeated these same three tricks over and over in the same order as she traveled down the sidewalk. The girl looked to be around six or seven, the same age I was when I was enrolled in a gymnastics class, only this girl was much more graceful and more fearless. I was never able to successfully complete a back bend because I was always too afraid. I was afraid of falling and afraid of being hurt in general, so whenever I'd attempt a back bend I'd pause in the middle and the trick would end with me flat on my back instead of in a smooth arch. I stopped going to class after six months. I walked on as she ran back to the corner shop to begin again.