The only roles I’ve played for thirty years are son, husband, and father. The first was by great good fortune, the second two by wonderful choice. My career path, on the other hand, has been circuitous with no single sustained stops. Though always related to education, the specific roles have wandered in and out of local, regional and national settings. So as I currently find myself invested in the Stern Center for Language and Learning where we are celebrating our 30th Anniversary of helping all learners reach their full potential, I’m struck by Blanche Podhajski’s vision, tenacity, and grit. Or maybe that’s not quite the right list. I wonder about parallels to my three 30-year roles and Blanche’s 30 years at the helm of the Stern Center. What does it take for such things to “take?” I risk those who will suggest I’m teetering on the cloying, but I think it is about the heart of it. Love is perhaps not often considered in the leadership manuals, but passion certainly is. “Follow your bliss” and all that. However, we know from studies that passion is simply not enduring, rekindlable perhaps, but not sustainable. Love on the other hand is deeper, richer, able to endure occasional hardships without sacrificing its essence. Love lasts when we realize what it takes and are willing to nurture and invest accordingly. That’s how I can claim my decades of son, husband, and father. And that’s how Blanche can claim her thirty years as founder and president of the Stern Center; she loves her life’s work. Happy Anniversary, Blanche!