Wow! This is why we teach

I had to attend two rather senseless meetings in the scorching heat (and missed the first game of the World Cup) this afternoon. I came home and called up the emails, which usually consist of people demanding that I see to this or that or give my undivided attention to something else, or that I write a report on something I don't have numbers for by yesterday.

This was in the box:

I just wanted to thank the two of you [we team taught a course] for your lecture and exercise sessions last semester. Thanks to you I have found an area that interests me and that I have been intensively working in since then. None of the courses I have had up until now at university have interested me or given me something I can identify with.

This is why we teach. We try and light fires instead of just filling up vessels. And when one student realizes that we were somehow involved in this process, and takes the time to write - Wow! Way to start the weekend!