Mixed Emotions
August 16th, 2009 | 
Author: I’m one of those Boomer males who took a long time to marry and settle down. Consequently, my perspective and level of appreciation for the blessings I’ve had tend to be different than they would for a younger man.
The day 15 years ago when our daughter was born was the day I really learned the meaning of the word “commitment”.
I just put her on a flight to Denver and I have to admit that my emotions were a mixture of pride and trepidation; proud that she has the intelligence and maturity to travel on her own and to navigate the obstacles of BWI, Denver International and LAX; anxious for her safety and her ever-increasing loss of innocence.
I’m old enough to remember when people actually dressed up to travel by plane like they did for church when they used to go to church. My first flight occurred when I was in my mid-20s. Our daughter’s when she was just an infant.
So, as I watched the Southwest Airlines Boeing 737 leave the tarmac and climb into the cloudless blue summer sky, my eyes felt moist and I said a little prayer, “Bon voyage. Come home safe.”
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I understand, Buzz. My daughter was born while you were still at WPEZ and went through these things in my absence. She’s doing fine. HOWEVER, in a few days I’m sending my 19 year old Chinese daughter off to university and share your concerns. Your daughter is probably more mature than my Chinese daughter who remains extremely innocent. …but they’ve got to leave the nest some time and meet the world head-on. You have my empathy; I hope you’ll never need my sympathy for this phase of child-rearing.
I remember coming to America in a Pan American propeller airplane. It was 1965 and I was dressed to kill in my little suit. We were coming to a new world. My oldest child and my wife traveled in a 747 a week after 911 to visit my mother in New York from California to commiserate over the destruction and to make a show of support for my “city”. My oldest son had the pleasure of flying a piper cub along with an instructor so I know he’ll have a ball when it’s time to fly solo.