A father returning home happy

My 26 year old daughter has been travelling the world (mainly the Americas, Europe and Asia) for the past 18 months and now has a marketing job in London. I live in Australia and have been visiting her for 3 weeks having not intersected with her much during the past 18 months. Travel experience seems to have made her in a truely wonderful person. Her university degrees clearly helped her intellectual development but travel seems to have provided something even more important. This includes a sense of practicality along with her usual compassionate, caring view of events. I am leaving for home today a very happy father feeling blessed and lucky to have such an attractive and thoroughly decent person as a daughter.

To state the obvious, travel is intellectually liberating. Setting yourself up in new countries, dealing with new languages and new ways of thinking definitely seems to broaden the mind. I wish I had travelled more myself before I settled into workplace routines. She has so many skills that I don't.

Of course too "absence does make the heart grow fonder". Absence in space and time makes both my daughter and I appreciate each other more. There were tears all round this morning when we separated but I am returning happy to know she is doing well and enjoying her life. Of course I'd like her to come home but even if she doesn't I am pleased she is settled and doing well.