Last night I traveled to a land of fantasy, imagination, and grace. I saw feats of agility and strength that I wouldn't have thought were humanely possible. Acts of dexterity and flexibility that boggled my mind. How can a body contort like that? How can it lift up a full sized person from that angle? The balance and coordination were nothing but superhuman, balancing on shoulders, heads, tight ropes, anything that could support their weight. The music was a soundtrack that eased your mind into the acts, into the world they lived in. It brought back images of childhood, when the sun was still yellow in the sky looking down on you with a smile. The main characters were glimpses into the human spirit. The child  personified the innocence and curiosity of youth, when a simple kite could lead you to grand adventures. The mischevious ring leader, he who holds the power and control, but allows the show to go where it must, because it's the only way to do it. The jesters, pranksters, tricksters. Calling them clowns seems insulting. They made us laugh out loud, with tears in our eyes, and had us looking at our neighbor to make sure they got the punchline, so they could enjoy it as much as you were.
I haven't felt like that in a long time. Where I could let loose my inner child, and not hold him back.  I was able to let my imagination soar, take me to a place where men and women can fly through the air with the greatest of ease. No wires. No nets. Just pure magic. It seemed second nature to them, the bouncing, the contorting, the balancing. It seemed like they could do it in their sleep. I watched them, envious that they had total control over their physical forms, but terrified at the same time, because they were pushing their bodies to the utmost limits. But they did it with a look of joy and excitement on their faces. These are what superheros would seem like to us mere mortals. They represent what humans can achieve, with hard work, dedication, and belief. And they did it, with style.