Day 7 - 196 -- Future Hope

Imagine -- 60 years ago Jane Goodall arrived at Gombe with her mother, a second hand army tent, a notebook and a pencil. Today she was on her 5th Zoom call of the day when I heard her speak to her 60 year long research project with chimpanzees. The project has expanded to deal with sustainability of natural spaces in this world, but chimpanzees remain the central aspect of the studies.

I have admired this woman for some time. She spoke in Saskatoon when I lived there. I stood in line to have my book autographed. She was so gracious with her time and took time to greet each of us in that long line. From her time as a young woman who hadn't been to univeristy, finding her way through the bush to find and observe the chimpanzees, she has demonstrated tremendous bravery, as well as faith and belief in the project and humanity. As a female researcher, she challenged commonly held beliefs when she wrote and presented about apes making and using tools. She did go to school and obtained a doctoral degree, helping many other young research students along the way. Dr. Goodall looks forward with hope -- something our world could use at present. She is generally away from home doing presentations and meetings for over 300 days each year, even now into her 80s. We can learn a lot about living from this woman -- kindness, positivity, determination, creativity and so very much more. I recommend the videos on the Jane Goodall Institute web site and the newer documentary Jane Goodall: The Hope. 

The song for today deals with hope for the future. Stay safe. Enjoy!

Hope of Deliverance -- Paul McCartney