Jonathan Meyer.

One of the best parts of my job is that it constantly reminds me how much I don’t know.

Not in a discouraging way, but in an exciting one.

On Monday, I found myself in downtown Tama waiting for the train to arrive. I thought I was being smart by getting there early. In fact, I was more than 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Yet by the time I arrived, people were already lined up and parking spots were becoming hard to find. I ended up parking well past the Clothes Closet and walking several blocks to third street.

I knew the train was a big deal. I understood people would come out to see it. What I didn’t understand was just how many people would show up. There were people from all over.

If you’ve never heard one of those whistles in person, it’s hard to describe. It wasn’t just loud. It was deafening. It echoed through downtown as people smiled, waved, took pictures, and simply enjoyed the moment.

I’ve covered a lot of events over the years, but I can honestly say I’ve never seen anything quite like that. It was one of those rare community experiences where everyone seemed excited for the same reason at the same time.

The train wasn’t the only thing that surprised me this week.

With primary election results coming in, I found myself spending a lot of time listening to election coverage on the radio. I’ve listened to Iowa Public Radio for years thanks in part to my coworker Matt, who has been a devoted listener for as long as I’ve known him. But this week I found myself tuning in on my own to hear updates and analysis.

Quite frankly, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did.

The reporting was thoughtful, informative, and engaging. It reminded me that good journalism comes in many forms. Sometimes it’s a newspaper. Sometimes it’s a website. Sometimes it’s a voice coming through your car speakers while you’re driving down Highway 30.

That, too, was a pleasant surprise.

Maybe the biggest surprise, however, has been the overall feeling around the community lately.

It’s difficult to point to one specific event. Instead, it’s more of a feeling. People seem eager to participate. They’re attending meetings. They’re showing up at events. They’re engaging with their communities and with each other.

I don’t mean that as a criticism of the past. It’s simply an observation. There have been times when I’ve attended an event and wondered if anyone else was going to show up. Sometimes being one of only a handful of people in attendance can feel a little awkward.

Lately, though, that hasn’t been the case.

Whether it’s community meetings, local celebrations, elections, or even a steam locomotive rolling through town, people seem more willing to show up. They’re investing their time in the places and people around them.

As someone who spends a lot of time covering those events, I find that encouraging.

The older I get, the more I realize that every person cares deeply about something. Sometimes it’s a train. Sometimes it’s local politics. Sometimes it’s a school board meeting, a fundraiser, or a community project.

Whatever it may be, there is always something happening beneath the surface that I hadn’t fully appreciated before.

I hope that never changes.

I hope life continues to surprise me. Because every time it does, I learn something new about the people around me and the community I call home.

Until my next surprise, I’m just Jonathan.