the turns of the road

Ahhhh, the turns of that damn road.....you wander here and there as a youngster.  You take shortcuts and interesting paths off the beaten track and whip right through them without really looing around you when you're a teenager.  20s and 30s, wow...well, let's just say you live and learn to take the time to look around every now and then again albeit when you have time to do so.  Now, in my 40s, all I can say is - incredible.  Being a mother is an entire experience unto itself.  And since my birthday, when I turned 42, all I could think of was how excited I was to be where I found myself to be.  I guess it came together for me the other day when I sat chatting with a couple at the dog park (I know...pathetic, social interaction surrounded by canines) - they said they knew they were perfect together when after an idyllic month long process of talking ad nauseum, they realized they had reached "total understanding".  I blinked a few times and not because of the bright Florida sun.  Really?, I asked quite astonished.  "Yes, we know EVERYTHING about each other!"  And they looked at each other moonily and smiled in that lover's intimate way.  Later I pondered this bold statement and I was pleasantly surprised that I came to the lofty (please realize this is said tongue in cheek) it was complete and utter bullshit.  Today at 42, I don't know MYSELF completely.  I still have the ability to surprise myself thoroughly and leave myself shrugging and raising an eyebrow now and then.