research as a pleasure

The students in 202 are now in the midst of two weeks set aside for research on their big projects.  Each group has a national park and the notion of happiness as their starting point.  I'm meeting with them along the way.  As we talk I reiterate, "This time is offered to you as a gift, an opportunity to read and dig and follow up on odd footnotes." 

Nope that is not me.

I'm trying to convey something of the joy and pleasure I get when I do those things.  I'm remembering happy hours spent sitting on the floor of library stacks reading bits and pieces of books that were only marginally relevant to the project at hand.   I'm on the verge of quoting from Luther: "And I will say nothing more of the pure pleasure a man gets from reading books."   

With all those books so close the possibilities of knowledge and imagination are palpable.  Work spills into vacation!  Research becomes pleasure.  I'm seldom much happier than that.