I can’t tell you what my friend Tom Prasada-Rao meant when he wrote his song, “Maria.” I’ve probably heard him play it a couple of dozen times, and listened the recording a ton more than that.

But I can tell you what the chorus means to me, and what I’ve known it would mean to me for a few years now. It means this day right here.

This. Very. Day.

Maria is mostly all packed up. We’re more than halfway loaded.

We’ll watch a little gymnastics in a bit —always a fun thing to do with her— and then it’s off to bed, and out the door early tomorrow for Arkansas.

I’m so proud of her. We’re all so filled with a variety of emotions…such a gamut right now.

“Take one last look, before you leap.
Miles to go, before you sleep…”

I’ve learned enough about life by now that nothing ever ends, really. It just changes and moves on. Nothing will ever be the same, and plenty will always be the same.

So, she goes on this next part of the adventure. And whatever happens…

“The river runs deep…”