I guess it’s sort of self-indulgent to feel that way, but it is at least reassuring, like saying “keep up the good work.” At some point, there are rewards for working hard, taking what you do seriously, and dedicating yourself to being an expert in your field. When you finally find co-workers that are operating at the same level as you, you will be highly appreciated, and your team will be producing high-quality work.

I can say that I deeply appreciated your expertise and level of committment to high-quality, maintainable code when we were collaborating — and I think we produced something great as a result!