What did you discover relatively late on in life that everyone else had known for years?

my dear friend, a child in wartime, well=behaved, placid, compliant, his mother led him to chapel, with her employer on whom they were dependent, and would sing of political factions, such as,
do you know Cynthia blackshirt...
no hymn books, very basic, chapel barely more than a rustic out-building, welsh hills. 12 persons max.
he didn't know who or what she was so thought no more about it. the whole place and culture was puzzling to him.
40 yrs later he tried church, London. one day heard a familiar tune and with benefit of hymn book found himself singing, do no sinful action, ...

Ah yes, Chapel. Instead of my cup being full and running over, mine was full of Ronnie Molar, my little pal from school.

PageTurner, I just ran out to the garage and checked my car's gas gauge and I don't have an icon on the left but I DO have a little arrow pointing to the left from the pump icon in the center. I've had this car for eleven years and never noticed it OR an icon in any other car, for that matter! Now I'm going to be checking them all! I've spent YEARS getting out of cars to look!

I had left university before I knew how to pronounce “hyperbole” and “epitome”.

I was living in the South Pacific (early 70's) before I knew coconuts did not fall from the tree brown and hairy - as some children's books actually portray.

I was 70 before I heard the expression 'dental dam' let alone knew what it meant.

And it's probably 20 years since I read that 'amazed' meant more or less what it says, 'as if in a maze' - confused, perplexed.

Chewbacca I thought it was "kicks for free"
I thought in the Hollies song "He ain't heavy" that "His welfare is my concern" was "He's wearing his mackinson". I thought it was a type of coat.
I too discovered the petrol thing about a year ago. I'm 68!

This is probably the most educational thread I have read on GN. About the only thing I knew was"Chicks for free".

I'm 75 so most of you are well ahead of me.

I was shocked rigid to discover that marmite is suitable for vegans.
For almost 60 years I have believed it was made with beef extract.......?

So when do coconuts turn brown and hairy? Is it beneath the green outer shell as in your picture Bradford Lass?

I didn't know the correct pronunciation of canapes till I was mid twenties

I heard Tomasz Shafernaker the weather man saying on TV that until a film shoot he went on in Wales, he hadn't known that lambs were baby sheep!!!

Same here with petrol gauge sign!

I learned not to talk so much. Trying to be more 'enigmatic' not doing too well.
Watch this, I'll say no more...

That everyone else knew that my X was at..t
and I was the last to know.

he hadn't known that lambs were baby sheep

What on earth did he think they were??!

That twisting a rubber band around a jar lid helps prise it off easily.

That mashing potatoes is so much easier if you gradually rotate the panful rather than randomly mashing them. And to put the butter in first so it melts - milk last!

That is best not to bring up difficult or contentious topics after 9pm.

That it’s so much easier to use a facial scrub whilst in the shower rather than splashing it off over a sink. It’s actually a pleasure to use one now!

When packing put small items inside shoes and always keep medication in your hand luggage in case your luggage goes missing.

Keep a mini umbrella inside a small plastic bag so that once used it doesn’t make everything damp in your bag afterwards.

Ooh, I didn't know about the fuel gauge thing either, PageTurner. Thanks for this: I must check when I get into the car.

I didn't know that an Oxo cube can be crumbled in the wrapping before opening. I've peeled the foil off and 'hand crumbled' for fity years!

Urmstongran, rubber gloves are good for untwisting lids.

untwisting strange word lol. Sorry I'm just awake...brain fog.
prising off

shysal I heard Tomasz saying that too and thought he was kidding (bad pun sorry) but he wasn't!

Mosaicwarts Ha ha , I discovered this trick last year online( Crazy Russian Hacker ?). It's an interesting wee trick, isn't it !
But I always remember the ads with 'Katie ' - loved the way she crumbled hers !

My school friend used to sing "you don't have to say you love me, just because of ham" (Dusty Springfield) instead of just be close at hand!

EllaKeat I think Bovril isn't suitable for veggies

However, Marmite isn't suitable for coeliacs (it's a by-product of beer making).

I thought it was ' because of ham' too !