perspective

Last year at this time I learned that I did not win the University Teaching Initiative award that I'd been nominated for by the College. I was very upset. Heartbroken, in fact. I did win the College Teaching Initiative award, so that made me feel a little bit better. But I remember being just crushed the day I found out about the University award.

Today I learned that I did not win the University Research Initiative award that I've been nominated for by the College. And I honest-to-god immediately thought about how much fun I've been having in my classes and how the research award paled in comparison. It's hard to express this without sounding like I'm making use of a well-worn defense mechanism, but there it is.

At the end of my morning class today, one of my students came up to me and asked if it would be alright if she still came to talk to me next semester. About stuff.

And C., a student who put up quite a bit of resistance to the prospect of learning anything more about himself, just stopped by office hours to tell me that, for what it's worth, he's glad he took the course.

It's worth a lot. So much more than you'll ever know.