some kind of magic

yesterday was some kind of magic. it began with a smile from a stranger on the street as i walked to work. [later in the day i received a kind wink from another.] smiles (and kind winks) do make a difference. lifted up, my entire being smiled. i walked lightly, power*fully and remembered my current mantra: rise.

images of playing tennis (as i did for many, many years while growing up) come to mind when i think of my mantra. specifically, the image of leaning towards and getting behind the ball to power*fully return a hit coming from the one on the other side of the net. this is a stance of responding (versus reacting). it's a stance of yes to life and yes to movement and activism and yes to my power. it's a stance of watching attentively and moving grace*fully.

as i honor this mantra, i recognize that every time i choose to rise i get the chance to dance with flow. to go, partner and play with flow. guiding me to what i call in alignment choices, none too small or ordinary: purchasing a surprise gift for a special someone (something i had been thinking about for a while; i'd been waiting for the right time to purchase it); choosing the dvd's i chose to check out of the library; coming home after a full day at work and resting (rather than washing dishes, checking e-mail, etc.) before going out to meet with a friend; and, tucking myself into bed for a long sleep (rather than turning on the television or reading) after a sweet night of sipping wine and tasting good food with a friend.