Grace and Gratitude
My cell phone rang on a sunny afternoon in November of 2016. The call was from Josie Heath welcoming me to the leadership of Community Foundation Boulder County. Josie and I had known each other for years. We didn’t speak much of the foundation that day. We spoke instead of the meaning and impact of the recent presidential election.
I started at the foundation eleven days before President Trump’s inauguration, and I’ll retire about four months before the next presidential election day.
Over that time, I have been overwhelmed by grace. For a long time, I didn’t truly understand the meaning of this concept. I understand it now. Grace is love unearned, unconditional, and unbidden. It is only understood by experiencing it.
Many of you stepped up to support the foundation with countless hours of service, incredibly generous financial commitment, and, to my undying gratitude, your friendship. We’ve accomplished much together and much remains to be done. Because of you and a stellar board and staff, I believe the future of this foundation is bright and full of promise.
I am thrilled about the Community Foundation’s new CEO, Tatiana Hernandez. I know Tatiana will lead the foundation and serve Boulder County with wisdom, compassion, and a resolute commitment to equity. I’m grateful to pass the baton to a faster runner.
Sandra, my spouse, observed she and I are living in dog years. She meant a single year is now a greater proportion of our lives. We have spent more years together than we have remaining to us. This reality above all spurred my decision to retire sooner than I planned. I don’t know what it will be like not to work seventy hours a week, seven days a week, but I’d like to find out with my best friend in life.
Our lives have changed in ways we could not have imagined in 2016. I thank you for making our community and my life immeasurably better. I hope in some modest way I have expressed my heartfelt devotion to you.
I remain, as always, yours in gratitude,
Jeff
