This morning as I cleaned the kitchen, I was listening to an interview with Jane Goodall on CBC which I found really inspiring. She was interviewed on The Current by Jan Wong. You can listen here - go down near the bottom of the page and listen to 'part 3'. This isn't the one I heard but it is nice because you get to see her eyes.
So, why do I find Jane Goodall inspiring? Maybe it isn't the obvious reasons - what her life's work has been. Rather it is her life's work. That she has done it. Not specifically what it is - her work with primates and now as activist but the fact that she has had the great courage to be herself. To follow her dreams and passions. She quietly and certainly has gone about her life being herself, following her own path.
Ah, those trite, too-used phrases. But when you look at the video of her being interviewed and you can see her confidence - real confidence. Not boastfulness or aggrandizement but a quiet certainty. I think it comes from having the courage to do what was right for her regardless (one of my pet peeves: the word irregardless) of approval or recognition. She was originally she was shunned by the scientific community but she continued to do her work in her way.
This is what is inspiring to me. Like Laura I have been having these kinds of thoughts - about being truly myself - having the courage to really be me - to do the work that moves me. And hearing about people who have really done it are my heroes, my models.
And what else is inspiring about Jane Goodall? The fact that she is optimistic in her work as environmental activist, she works on hope and optimism unlike many of her contemporaries. Give her a listen.
5 comments:
I think you're already good at being who you are and following your dreams. You're proactive, and I admire your willingness to be you. You're hard working, and you're driven and you're really good at loving people. You are a role model to me.
Sarah I wish I said that. I'm glad I have a daughter that did---and that she said it about my other daughter and that it is true.
Thank you so much, Sarah and Mom. I think it is an ongoing, lifetime process.
I'm curious, I googled my name & was directed to this site. I'm guessing by the name it is the same Andrea who married Norm. Ahh how the years slide by...I along with Dennis was a thorn in your side as a child, now I'm a pincushion with thorns of my own...
I hope life has been good to you so far. Thoght I'd drop a comment to say hi...Hi....VQ
Vic? You were a thorn in my side for MUCH longer than Dennis! I was in PG last summer, staying at my Aunt's and I tried to find you but you are no longer in the phone book. And that's it? You're just going to leave a comment and not let me know how to find you? e-mail me at agordon-smith@shaw.ca
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