A literal and figurative crossroads

On my way to the city office after covering an event this afternoon, I wound up at an intersection I passed through countless times about three years ago.

I had just started a fling with a guy named Scott after pulling myself out of the deep dark depths of a horrific relationship that took such a toll on my mind and soul. I thought this Scott guy was pretty groovy, but heck, it was only the first couple of weeks and I was so afraid my heart would break again. I trusted, however, and it is leading me to a marriage with my soulmate in one month.

It was scary, though.

Turning left at this intersection near the final third of my 90-minute trip to Scott's house from a miserable apartment in a town and job that sucked the life out of me way more than the 40 hours I got paid a week, there was always this insane moment of apprehension and giddy excitement all at once.

'Where am I going?' I would ask myself at the next sharp turn.
I knew what direction my car was going, but definitely had no idea where my life was taking me or would take me in as little as three years.

Despite the fatal crashes, devastating house fires, suicides and increased property taxes I've dealt with at work, I love my job. I'm so lucky to do something that could impact peoples' lives in some way.

Although the stress is starting to mount, I am almost as in love with my wedding as I am with the handsome groom-to-be. I know all these silly details might get lost in the excitement of the day, but I'm sure they'll make a bigger picture that is just us to a T.

I mean, guess what?!
I'm getting MARRIED!

I'm at such a good spot in my life.
Yet, sitting, half-frozen at that intersection today, I could have crawled into a little ball in my SUV. I know that a puddle of tears could have accumulated so quickly if I let it. But I didn't.

I snapped out of the trance, looked to my right -- that old me, that old life -- and turned left, smiling at the sound of the turn signal and the images flying by in my rearview mirror.

I think I've taken the right paths so far, even though they may not have been the shortest trails or the easiest routes. They made me a better navigator in this crazy road of life.

And I'm all out of cheesy driving analogies.