It stopped asking directions, some places they've never been.

Hello, Pod Squad.

Welcome to We Can Do Hard Things.

Just get ready.

Because our guest today is just an insider of joy and delight.

And we have been waiting for this conversation for a long time.

Ross Gay is an American poet, essayist, and professor.

I think it eye you, right?

Yep, yep.

Though big red, my mom said to say to you, I guess that's a thing.

Who is committed to the rigorous work

of observing and articulating joy.

He won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry

and the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award

for his 2014 book, Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude,

which was also a finalist for the National Book Award

for Poetry, a devoted community gardener

Ross is a founding board member

of the Bloomington Community Orchard, so cool.

A nonprofit free food for all, food justice, and joy project.

A college football player, he's a founding editor

of the online sports magazine, Some Call it Ballin.

...