For every stoplight I didn't make...

For those of you that didn't know, former Hootie and the Blowfish frontman-turned country solo star Darius Rucker was born and raised right here in Chucktown. Every year he has a concert on Daniel Island (which sells out in record time) and plays songs from his days in Hootie and from his solo career. Before he went solo (and had some hits), us "locals" used to joke that Charleston was the only city in the country that still sells out a "Hootie and the Blowfish" concert.

His most recent solo album is titled "Charleston, SC 1966" and the cover features a picture of Darius (we're on a first-name basis with him around here) with our famous Arthur Ravenel Jr. bridge in the background. It was released just a couple weeks before Alli was born and Mommy B just had to have it. So we bought the CD and started listening to it in the car on our way home. The very first song on the album is called "This" and the lyrics really struck a chord.

To show you what I mean, here is the first verse and the chorus:

Got a baby girl sleepin' in my bedroom

And her momma laughing in my arms

There's the sound of rain on the rooftop

And the game's about to start

I don't really know how I got here

But I'm so glad that I did

And it's crazy to think that one little thing

Could have changed all of this

Maybe it didn't turned out like I planned

Maybe that's why I'm such, such a lucky man

Every stoplight I didn't make

Every chance I did or I didn't take

All the nights I went to far

All the girls that broke my heart

All the doors that I had to close

All the things I knew but I didn't know

Thank God for all I missed

Cause it led me here to this

Little did we know at the time that we would end up having a girl ourselves. Regardless of Alli's gender, it made me really think about all the choices and events in my life that led up to that point. After Alli was born, I listened to the song again and began to think about what could have gone differently in the past that could have completely changed how things turned out. I'm sure everyone has thought about it at one point or another in their life... how could have one decision or event completely altered the course of your life? That one time when you went left instead of right... or that time you decided to go out instead of staying home? What about that time you said yes when you should have said no... or that time you did something you know you shouldn't have?

I don't want to sound too cryptic or "deep", but I sometimes sit in amazement thinking about how the series of events in my past have led me to where I am today. Just a quick example: Alli would not be here today if it wasn't for a picture of me in my boxers on my best friend's dorm room wall. Nor would Scarlett have the loving home she does (she might not be alive either), we wouldn't have the house we do, I wouldn't have the successful career I do and I probably wouldn't even live in South Carolina for that matter. So... thank God for all I've missed, cause it led me here to this...