I met up with a friend in London yesterday, went to check his blog today and what do I find? A blog entry about meeting up with me. So I guess this entry is also to return the favour, although what I had intended to do was to write about how fatherhood has changed him, how exhausted he looks, and how utterly adorable his daughter is. She has the widest, most brilliant eyes I've ever seen- and I've spent a lot of time looking at people's eyes. It's always been my belief that the eyes are windows into the soul, and so I tend to watch people's eyes. She looked up at me with the sweetest, most innocent look ever, and I just melted!

I was actually in London yesterday to have lunch with the Singapore High Commissioner. I thought I had escaped the demands on my time when I left Singapore, but the very first voicemail I received was from the High Commission, asking me to come to London! The High Commissioner turned out to be a nice chap, and I enjoyed talking to him. Speaking of nice people, I was presented with a gift from President Nathan- a book related to my studies! Imagine that, the President remembered our conversation and took the trouble to give me something relevant. What an absolutely terrific person he is! Truly, our President is a gentleman.

After that I met up with Peter Moore in London. Peter is a top-notch travel writer and it's always been an honour to talk to him. I forget how I first read his work- but I've eagerly awaited each new book he puts out. It was an honour to invite him up to Hertford College to speak over a year ago, and he and his wife are really nice terrific people. When I last saw him, fatherhood was impending and he looked a little worried about being a father and how his life would change. Now, over a year later, it was a chance to compare the before-and-after.

I was struck by how tired he was- no surprise- but also I think he seemed to be wiser. It may seem obvious- that parenthood makes you more thoughtful about the world, about your child and about your legacy- but there was also more gravity and dignity than before. Perhaps the weight of experience lent him greater force and conviction to his words and more depth to his thought.

As I've been saying, and keep saying, and said to Peter yesterday- swimming the Channel is next to nothing compared to marriage, and nothing compared to parenthood. He is a far, far greater man than I, as all parents are, for being willing to take that step.