Sunday, April 14, 2013

Jane Goodall at Lafayette College

On Thursday evening I had the pleasure of seeing Jane Goodall, primatologist, speak at Lafayette College. She told her story, starting out as a little girl in England, to her first visit to Africa and beyond. And with refreshing grace, she spoke with passion about her life in Africa studying chimpanzees, the importance of conservation, and also her convictions on what mankind must do to survive on this earth; to her, there are common sense solutions that can easily be understood and undertaken if one has the desire to look past their own needs. 

Ms. Goodall told the audience of how her life as a curious child transformed over time and circumstance into one that was nothing like she had imagined it would be as a young girl.  She embraced what life had brought her way, and followed her heart with a passion few of us could even dare to dream, let alone embark on.  She gave most of the credit to her mother for encouraging her to look deeper into nature rather than be repelled by it, as many mothers of her era would have done with their daughters. As Jane so eloquently stated, she entered into a man's domain and despite the trials she endured, she persevered.

I'm not sure if anything I can write here will effectively translate her message.  The bottom line is that if you ever get the opportunity to here her speak, do it.  Her point of view is non-political, non-material; it emanates from a place in the heart that is derived of passion and a sense of love for all things living.  Here's a short video from her visit to Lafayette.

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