Good News Comes in Threes Too

In an hour, I'll be on my way to a Hindu house blessing.  For more on the theological/ecumenical aspects of that, see this post on my theology blog.

At the end of October, my Hindu friend suffered a devastating house fire.  She has persevered, and the house has been rebuilt.  Today we bless it at a time the Hindu priest has deemed auspicious 6-7:30 a.m.

Last night was the first night she slept in the new house.  Yesterday, I sent the first of a series of good news e-mails to let our department know of her happy news.  I've been sending out so much bad news that it was good to send out a happy e-mail.

If you want to read more about this process of reclaiming a house, my friend has been keeping a blog for years, and she's written eloquently about her journey.  I'm hoping that great art will come out of her loss and pain.

Like the writerly vampire that I am, I, too, have found inspiration from her ashes.  If you want a writing prompt, see this post.  My friend has always been generous, and she doesn't seem to begrudge being this kind of inspiration.

Yesterday at work, I also got to let my department know that one of our colleagues successfully defended his dissertation.  I am in awe of people who can do this:   have a family, teach a 5-5-5-5 load, and do graduate work.  Astonishing.

And then, I was able to send out my own good news:  I will transition into the new position in the restructuring of our school.  I have been the Chair of General Education, and now I will be the Academic Coordinator of Humanities and Communications.  My sister says it sounds like a more impressive title.  I'm seeing it as a lateral move, although our restructured school has directors and coordinators who report to directors in the Program areas.  I will report to the dean.

So, technically, it may not be a lateral move.  But I am not suffering a cut in pay or benefits, so I'm not going to quibble over titles.  And quibbling over titles would do no good.

Besides, my title just doesn't matter to me--unless you're giving me a title that says something about my good personality traits.  If you titled me Kindest, Most Understanding Administrator Ever, well, I'd like that title.  Least Hypocritical Christian We Have Known--how I strive to be worthy of that title.  Generous, Patient:  some days I master those titles.  Poet of Extraordinary Figurative Language:  I'd love that title.  I strive to avoid this title:  Poet Who Inserts Line Breaks Into Mundane Prose.

I wouldn't know how to put any of those titles into a resume or CV.  But those are the titles that spur me, not the more mundane titles of the world.