transcendental consequence

Have you ever glanced into a mirror and for quickest of instances not recognize the person looking back at you? This occurred to me the other day as I was about to get into the shower. It happened so quick that I didn't have time to observe the stranger or even have any thoughts about it. It was at a subconscious level that I didn't attribute myself to the image. This got me thinking about where I am in my life and how far I've come. I initially concluded that I haven't come all that far. Maybe I embodied a younger me looking into the mirror and seeing present day me. But that idea of the past seeing the future made me think of how naive I used to be. I like to believe I've become a realist since then and I see things as they are. Of course this is a huge load of shit. No one can discern reality so clearly. In that moment of nonrecognition I think I felt a little fear...