<p>Sigh. My d. just left to go back to school. We didnt actually get to spend much time, though I am grateful for every day. She got back from India (via a stay in Bangkok with a group that is training Buddhist monks to do trauma healing work with tsunami survivors). We picked her up from the plane and immediately drove to British Columbia, where we both spoke at a conference of international travelers for peace. (<a href=“http://www.usservas.org%5B/url%5D”>www.usservas.org</a>)</p>
<p>Since shes been home, she has been working on a short history of the land reform/house-building organization in India she was working with, and actually completed it last night (took 5 drafts Im the editor, and she trusts me). She also seems to have arranged a paid internship in Italy for next summer, working with a third-world development organization and Bank Ethica a socially responsible investment fund that also has 14 walk-up banks around Italy. (Its funny their main concern was that, as an American, shed have trouble adjusting to small-town Italy it is in a little town called Spilamberto, just south of Modena, but she reminded them that she had just spent 9 weeks in VERY rural South India.) Then shell stay on there for her junior year abroad in Florence. Of course, this means that well see her even less next year. </p>
<p>She has signed up for 23 credits next term (normal load is 16), plus being secretary of the orchestra, singing in a medieval/Renaissance music group, playing in a Baroque ensemble, finishing writing a string quartet, and being paid to manage the performances of the 5-College Opera Consortium. She has also taken a place on the board of a national Quaker group, which means traveling to Maryland for meetings. Im tired just thinking about it, but she says she likes being constantly busy, and says there are just too many interesting classes to pass up. </p>
<p>We wont get to see her again until December, though (if we are lucky), Ill meet her in Stockholm (the organization she has been working with is nominated for this years Right Livelihood Award the alternative Nobel Peace Prize <a href=“http://www.rightlivelihood.org%5B/url%5D”>www.rightlivelihood.org</a>) and we have hopes.</p>
<p>She seems so grown up for 17! But as Ive always said, I always wanted to raise world citizens, so I cant complain when they arent home! When I was choosing colleges, my mother drew a three-hour circle around New York and said I could go anywhere within the circle. Now, Ive told my kids they can anywhere within a radius of a three-day plane ride. </p>
<p>So, its going to be a little lonely, but, to be honest, Im more jealous than anything else.</p>