My daughter is coming home today from a trip to Disney with her school band. This is a cameraphone picture carelessly snapped before she left, and filed in a folder she's marked 'Random', and that is so perfect. There is such a crazy joy in her that I feel, in looking at any random moment, like I'm looking through a thin veil, and behind it, just beyond the gauze of prettiness and youth, is the wonder of a Universe, a Creator, most pleased with itself. She has had this unreasonable transcendent laughter, merriment, joi de vivre, since she made her entrance into this world, and my hope, my prayer, my heartbeat's afirmation, is that this quality stays with her, no matter what else comes or goes.
