Something shocking happened this morning.

There are probably several things about my life that various incarnations of me over the years would be a little surprised by. When I was a kid, I thought my life would go the way of my parents' and I'd find my high school sweetheart and marry him right after college (HA HA HA HA HA). At one point, I HATED cats. There was a time when I hated hockey. (I *KNOW*. I was in middle school, which is all I can say about that.) Several mes would be surprised to learn I don't live in Pittsburgh.

Some things are less surprising. Me in parts of my college years was rarely surprised: I was so into life being all about flux and taking it as it comes and believed in very few to no certainties, least of all about myself. Before I hated cats, I loved them (although Puck would be an orange tabby if it were up to that Caroline). I almost always wanted to be a teacher over the years, so the only me surprised by my current job is me from the last year. Me from 2005 had a good feeling about Minnesota and would be happy to know just how good it's been here.

Obviously, there are little and big things that would've and would not have been surprising over the years if you'd told me "In five (or ten or twenty) years...".

 But there is one thing that, without a doubt, ALL former Carolines before three months ago would be flabbergasted and flummoxed to learn (even college!Caroline would've taken this never happening as the one certainty in the universe): I woke up before work at 6am today to run, for no reason other than wanting to for myself--and I liked it.