She walked with a limp

but was somehow faster than all of us.

I was watching the back of this young womans head

bob back and forth as she moved through the

aggressiveness of the holiday crowd.

I was amazed at her simple bravery.

Smoothly stumbling with a lurch, alone amongst the masses,

she seemed to me like a playback show in slow mo –

where even though you know that someone

is just lipsynching along to some crappy popsong or

possibly even a symphony

there is a glimmer of grace in their awkward movements

as you recognize that they are celebrating

a crescendo or the creation

of a fantasy world

all of their own.