At the beginning, the business of getting sick was a full time job—finding doctors, getting diagnoses, starting treatment, learning to live differently and, in my case, a long wait for a disability claim. After a few years, once my life was more about being sick than getting sick, I volunteered at Austin’s ZACH Theatre. I had loved the performing arts my entire life and while performance was no longer among my capabilities, I could be a volunteer at this outstanding professional theatre.

Soon I was on the board of trustees and was asked to chair a committee. I sat down with the staff and other board leaders and let them know I was a sick person, I had good and bad days, and I wasn’t always reliable. They listened, but took me on anyway. Over the years this happened again and again, I was invited to lead, I warned them of my limitations, they rolled their eyes and gave me the job.

I came to understand that what I had to offer was a rare commodity in the non-profit world. I had time. Unlike other talented leaders who were maintaining full time careers and raising families, in addition to their community service, my time was free to serve. I eventually became president of this stellar arts organization. We built a new theatre, raised the quality and professionalism of our youth programs, hired professional, experienced staff, and made a balanced budget part of our culture.

My last board meeting as president was this week. I was given a collection of photos from my tenure in a lovely, large frame with an inscription.

“With gratitude for your passion and vision.”

The passion and vision that my colleagues were so kind to note came from an abundance of time. Over my years as a leader, I had time to think about where we were headed, to look at many angles, take the long view and envision the future. Time, passion and vision were three things illness did not take away from me. In fact, they are three gifts that illness gave me. For this, and a theatre that, early on, trusted a sick person to lead, I am so grateful.