Saturday, November 16, 2013

Being Pleasantly Surprised

I many times find myself in the same boat with others of "my generation" (A thing I never thought I'd say), bemoaning the deficiencies of the younger folk. Therefore, it was such a refreshing change to have enjoyed the presence of a recent college intern at the library. I found this young man to be courteous, willing to learn, eager to understand and not afraid to take "the yucky tasks". Michael and I enjoyed several good conversations over the course of his service with us, which passed much faster than I realized.

For this reason, when I came to work this morning and found an envelope addressed to me, I was surprised to see that it was from Michael. I was surprised first of all, because he took the time to pick out a card. It was not a random piece of paper or type-written email, but a real thank-you card. That made an impression.

Secondly, he wrote specifics on how he was impacted by me during our time together. Another notable departure from our generic world of flippant remarks and thanks. He also told me that "the skills and knowledge you have imparted on me will not go to waste." Such words would have to encourage any mentor or employer.

A note of thanks that makes an impact. I'm thankful that I  can still be pleasantly surprised by those "young whipper snappers", and I appreciate Michael setting the pace. I wish him well and am confident he will achieve all he sets out to accomplish.