We asked faculty and staff to share their notes of appreciation, and they were more than happy to do so.

Gratitude: a sense of thankfulness, a feeling that can sometimes overwhelm, a tangible emotion some say all others flow from. Most of us have been touched by it or felt the need to share it with someone, to let them know their kindness was noticed and made a difference.

On a college campus like Texas Tech University, home to over 40,000 students and thousands more faculty and staff, gratitude is practically everywhere. Don't believe that? We confirmed our suspicions with a field test of sorts, and we're happy to say we found abundant gratitude almost everywhere we looked.

That led to what we're calling “Sharing Gratitude at Texas Tech,” where we asked the campus community to share meaningful thank you notes they've received through the years. As you might imagine, our inbox overfloweth.

We received examples of students telling faculty about the difference they had made in their lives, how grateful they were someone had encouraged them, believed in them or cut them a little slack when they needed it most. 

But gratitude has soaked other corners of the campus as well. In the end, we had the kind of challenge we hoped for – too many great notes from which to choose. The possibilities were endless.

We were reminded gratitude seems to be part of Texas Tech's DNA. What is it that makes saying thank you so important? What motivates a person to pick up pen and paper or engage computer and keyboard and give the precious gift of their time and emotional capital to another person? 

Part of it might be geography. This is a part of the country where people say “please,” “thank you,” and “yes, ma'am.” Kindness isn't just something people do. It is a type of currency, always in supply and spent freely. As it turns out, kindness and gratitude are traveling companions. They come in all sizes and fit every situation.

Thank you notes often come out of nowhere and frequently knock their recipients for a loop. They are unexpected. They are powerful. They are affirming, encouraging and inspirational. In many ways, a thank you note reminds us that what we do matters, it is important, and we should never, ever take it for granted. Texas Tech is a large enterprise, but it is animated each day by thousands of dedicated and devoted people who make it seem not quite so large and, in its finest moments, almost like family.

These notes of gratitude are permanent. They are woven into the fabric of our lives, and we can pull them out and read them on those emotionally heavy days when we wonder if we're making a difference. We look them over and remember we are indeed. 

And that will always bring a smile to our face.

In the midst of the holiday season, gratitude is a regular visitor to our gatherings and events. We are reminded once again what a wonderful place Texas Tech University has been for 100 years.

Welcome to “Sharing Gratitude.” We hope it lights up your day as much as it does ours.