"Surprised gratitude"

14 January 2019: I've been thinking about the concept of "surprised gratitude" since Hannah said it last weekend while we were doing some Professor of the Year interview preparation. I said to her, "How do I say to these people some version of 'I can't believe I get paid to do this' without actually saying that?" I wanted to express how profoundly grateful I am for my career--and almost mystified by the degree to which it delights me at times. "It's kind of like...surprised gratitude," Hannah suggested. So there it is.

Today, I used that phrase and told that story during my interview in Charleston, which I think went well. I mean, after all, I got to talk about how much I love my job, my students, my colleagues, and my university. I am good at doing that, I think. Whatever happens in April, when the winner is announced, I feel like I did my best and I am glad for the experience which in itself, reinforced that idea of surprised gratitude.

All day today, especially on the drive home, I was listing the moments--just today--that made me feel gratitude even more. Here are a few:

• The "you can do it" text messages that I received today from friends, former students, and colleagues.
• The colleague who found someone (a Shepherd student who has taken a class with me) to shovel about ten inches of snow from my driveway so that I wouldn't have to do it when I got home in the freezing darkness. She actually had TWO eager volunteers when she called around. That's how great our students are. (And yes, I was paying, but still!)
• The student himself, a gosh-darn delight of a young man, who did a terrific job and whose arm I will probably have to twist a bit to take the money I am paying him for doing it.
• Wesley, Bing, and Veronica being just fine when I got back. 
• The realization that a new semester opens for me tomorrow. Here we go!