Today, our retiring correspondent Francine Kiefer shares her parting wisdom with readers and the rising generation of journalists. Her letter is not only a capstone but also a testament to her wonderful shepherding of so many of us over the years.

In my first week as an intern at The Christian Science Monitor, she was visiting the Boston newsroom from Washington. “Christa,” she announced, “my lunch date fell through, so I’m taking you to lunch!” Thus began a long mentoring relationship that has been filled with that same frankness and generosity.

As I look back on it now, it wasn’t just her being kind to a junior colleague. She was modeling what gives journalism heart.