Aria means "air" or "melody" in Italian.   It is often associated with music, particularly as a term for a solo vocal piece in opera. The name has various meanings in different cultures; for example, in Hebrew, it can mean "lioness," and in Persian, it signifies "noble." In Albanian, it translates to "treasure" or "gold." Overall, the name is most commonly linked to musical themes and expressions

Aria was SO appropriately named. Her grandmother, Mary was an opera singer, her Mama is a singer, she is an Aquarius born the day before Valentine's Day (February 13) which is an air sign and she is a compassionate, book loving, creative, kind, confidential, loving, empathetic, wise, brainy, hard working, funny, noble, family oriented, introverted & yet a lioness & a treasure to all who take the time to know her. Her beauty is her insides glowing through to her outsides. Aria's middle name Teagan is Irish for poet...she also rocks the written and spoken word! Aria is beautiful, but she also plays the guitar, ukulele, flute, viola, piano (maybe cow bell...lol). Aria is a gifted dancer, singer, creator, friend to her yellow lab Shanti and she is capable. Aria is a credible cook and also capable mechanic and carpenter. She rocks a party dress and a tool belt!

Aria like any graduating Senior in this world feels the issues of our world on her shoulders, but she is guided with the spiritual knowledge that the world is in her hands, truly. She knows that her focus is on internal, spiritual growth and as she navigates this new chapter of college life at The University of Iowa I embrace this daily hope for her:

* As your Grandmother said: "Do you want peace? Or do you want to be right? Know when the fight is valid & when to release the reins. Find friends; not faults.

* You have everything inside you to engage with this world. Never put your sense of self worth in another person's hands. Inside is a glowing, gold orb that is all you are. Protect it, listen to its intuitional warnings and nourish it. Always whisper lovingly to yourself "I got this".

* Set clear boundaries for what you stand for, who you will allow in your circle & what behaviors you expect of yourself and other's. Know them, rehearse them, live them actively and know you do not need to defend them to anyone. A boundary says clearly: I am a place of goodness and if what you bring is less than goodness; you shall...not...pass! It is not impolite nor does it mean you are not a "good" girl to stand up for yourself and say "no thank you". Always trust your gut & assert your choices with clarity & confidence. Take the time to vet your circle and make sure they have earned your trust & faith in them. Hold them accountable (as you will hopefully do for yourself) when they have harmed you. What you give out to the universe will boomerang back...do no harm! Lol.

* Nurture your journey!! Experiment, embrace health in all forms, value your safety & worth, learn things from people who are not like you by actively listening to their stories & sharing yours, enjoy spontaneous fun, get out of your head, say "yes" more than "no" (Mom says with safety in mind...ahem...sigh), accept that evolving & mastering new habits takes time & commitment so devote 30 days to the task of improvements, breathe from your belly, be solutions oriented, create positive "mojo" when you have the choice, think about your words each time you speak, engage with the world honorably in a way you and your family would be proud of, indulge in things that bring you joy with no apologies, apologize well (there is never a BUT or remark to the other side when you have caused hurt or harm...get it over with, be accountable and move forward), laugh often & for no reason and understand that until now your Mama has always said and acted on these words to you..."I have the worry part". Now that you are a young woman you will begin to have valid fears, concerns and worry; know these overwhelming feelings are often just a waste of energy. Embrace meditation and letting go daily of anything that feels heavy or out of your control (which will be a lot of things!). There is no situation where you are not fully in control of how you decide to view it. Always gravitate towards light...humans that lift you and activities that bring you joy. YOU, my love, will know the difference...trust it.

* Change can be fear inspiring, but as you breathe, cry & forge ahead through it one step at a time; you quickly realize it ushers in really wonderful choices of people, experiences and lessons (good and challenging). You will make mistakes, you are not nor should you ever aspire to be perfect and you are unconditionally loved by me and so many other people. So YOU grab this next chapter by the.....yeah....and step confidently into your next chapter created uniquely for you. Just for Aria. Don't squander your precious time on this planet surrounding yourself with anything less than goodness. Learn to identify vampires seeking to access you and send them quickly packing!

I love you, have the deepest respect for you and will always be your biggest fan. It has been my singular greatest pleasure to see your journey and to be your Mama is the best gig. I was your support, but your accomplishments speak to your work ethic and choices. You look in the mirror and own the accomplishment of that. 

You may feel kicked out of the nest, my Hawkeye, but you will love it. Our love for each other is etched in stone and it will bring me such joy to see you take what you have learned here, incorporate what you have loved, toss what has not worked and create perpetual joy for yourself and your circle. You are quieter than your Mama, but your voice is no less powerful. In our world we need those who have the strength to live out loud and we need those who understand the value of choosing to say less. Which reminds me...STAY OFF SOCIAL MEDIA! Continue to critical think, absorb situations from all sides before rendering a decision and understand that like infection...the world is fluid....it fires up and deals with infection like your body. Cycles of chaos, fear and calm are part of the universe so concern yourself with only your part and mentor change to the world. Your generation when activated and off the phone shows great promise to make a difference. You must all resist the disconnect. 

There is nothing you could do that would ever disappoint me, challenge my love for you or alter our relationship....we would not allow that. You have a solid trunk, Aria...branch out, baby!! Love you like just no love ever...you are the best thing I have ever done.

Go. Do. YOU!!! Congratulations on an exquisite academic performance culminating in your graduation to another increasingly larger building of learning. You celebrate the hard work that went into that GPA with pride and you celebrate the jobs and extracurriculars you balanced while achieving that. THAT is building tolerance and you will never regret those skills. The discipline comes from DOING it...never be afraid to climb the wall in front of you (you probably built the wall so you can knock it over easily...lol). However, learn to take a break...get a massage, skip class to roll down a hill or meet a boy for coffee, take a good nap...you know, balance.