Gioia. A Name, a Story...

Gioia means Joy in Italian. I was not planning to call You like that.

In fact, there were already two names on the bucket list for You:

• The first, that somehow ended third in the final rank, is Caterina. That was the name of my much-beloved grandmother. Now my guardian Angel. I believe she sent you to me. You are a gift of my Angel.
• The other one, which took me the most thinking, is Iride. That won over its closest and better-known international contestant Iris. In fact, Iride is the Italian form of Iris, who in Greek mythology is the mesmerizing Goddess of the Rainbow, messenger between the divine and the human world. In the end, Iride won though because I do not see you just as a beautiful, delicate flower - but as a force of nature. My wonder baby.
• Gioia joined at the very last minute... So You ended up with three names, like a royal.

On the day before You decided to make your entry into the world, I was having a walk in the forest behind our lake house, listening to Bocelli's version of Ode to Joy... Did You listen too already? I had a feeling that You were enjoying it as well, kicking your little feet to the tune.

Gioia is a tribute to You. It resounded with what my feelings for You - And with the way the day You were born enfolded. Indeed, as for Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, which actually takes hours of "execution" and happily culminates with its much celebrated Ode to Joy, You took more than 12 hours before finally making Your diva-entry into the world - to the relief and acclamation not just of Your mum and dad, but also of a full team of doctors and nurses. Like in an orchestra, everybody was playing its role to close perfection. And then You, with your tiny perfect features, astounded us all. It was pure Joy!

The lyrics of Your song are my wish to You. The text speaks for itself...
Are You already fluent in Italian?

Alla Gioia (by Andrea Bocelli)

Gioia che dai luce al mondo
Dona pace e verità
Porta dentro questo canto
Evento sia di libertà

La tua forza non ha confini
Unisce chi si separò
Fa che siano più vicini
Gli uomini che Dio creò

Gioia dea di questa terra
Che del bene tutto sa
Sei nemica di ogni guerra
Fonte di felicità

Chi nel cuore ha un cielo di stelle
Ogni fratello abbraccerà
Chi ti volterà le spalle,
Nell'oblio si perderà
Noi saremo sempre uniti
Finché gioia ci sarà

Gioia che dai luce al mondo
Dona pace e verità
Porta dentro questo canto
Evento sia di libertà

La tua forza non ha confini
Unisce chi si separò
Fa che siano più vicini
Gli uomini che Dio creò

Gioia dea di questa terra
Che del bene tutto sa
Sei nemica di ogni guerra
Fonte di felicità

Tutti insieme saremo figli
Di una sola vanità
Dea bellezza senza fine
Abiti nell'anima