I Heart Valet Parking

Terry, Amy, and I have said for years that the three of us should take a big trip the year we turn 40. That would be this year, 2009. Amy was the first to get there, back in January, Terry's birthday is next week, and I will arrive in October. I don't like to think about turning 40. I am not excited about it. I DO NOT want to do it. I am not old enough to be 40! The majority of my friends, however, are somewhere between 6 and 13 years younger than me, so maybe this is the reason I have never really felt my age; until today.

I got up this morning and decided to get out of the condo. I called the front desk to have my car brought around and then I drove to Target. It isn't a Super Target so they didn't have all the groceries I wanted. That was fine with me; I decided to go to Publix. I drove down Back Beach Road and over to Middle Beach Road where I remembered seeing it on the map. I was so pleased with myself when I saw it up ahead of me...then I pulled into the parking lot. You would have thought I was at an SEC football game about an hour before kick off. There were swarms (not kidding) of college students parking and walking into Publix. The place was packed! I took a deep breath and joined them. It was quite humorous watching groups of boys and girls decide what to buy. I have never seen so many underage people trying to decide what alcohol to buy. I weaved in and out of the various groups who had no concern for anyone but themselves; the insecurity could be felt at every turn. I actually laughed to myself a few times; I was so glad to not be one of them.

I walked out of Publix with a little more than then items on my list...I left with a new appreciation for where I am in life. For the first time in a very long time I actually felt my age and was okay with it.