Jane Goodall's Forest

From my perspective, I absolutely believe in a greater spiritual power, far greater than I am, from which I derived strength in moments of sadness and fear. That's what I believe, and it was very, very strong in the Forest.

-Jane Goodall (https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/jane_goodall)

I watched the documentary on Netflix last evening called "Jane". What an amazing film and what an amazing human being. For a British  woman of 'gentle class' to forge off into the jungles of Africa in the 1950's was an extraordinary thing by itself but to accomplish what she did was even more so.  To see how she 'fit in 'there was the most awe inspiring thing for me though.  It was like she was 'home' living a life long dream she manifested. She lived fully!  And with great faith, compassion, and patience she exuded.  

Like me, she seemed to find such peace amongst animals and embraced her solitude just as much as she embraced nature.  All pics of her in the footage showed this woman with the most eloquent peaceful calm. She seemed to be patiently watching, observing life and so in the moment! She was very spiritual. It filled me with a certain longing, maybe, for what she had?

I often thought about doing something like that...devoting my life to animals or people who needed me or what I had to offer.  I secretly longed/long to be surrounded by nature and free of all these social scripts this ego based society demands of us.  I am somewhat 'uncomfortable' and 'out of place' in this world. How freeing and life fulfilling it would be to live like she did?  I long for Jane Goodall's "Forest".

What I realize, however, is that the forest is different for everybody. It doesn't have to be in Gombe...it can be in your very home.  The populations we seek to understand, learn from and help are sometimes Chimpanzees, sometimes human beings and sometimes something else. And we can all be a little more like she without going anywhere. This peace she seemed to express was in her anyway...she brought it with her to Africa...that is why, maybe, she was able to realize her dream...because she exuded this peaceful calm. She had faith.

Anyway...I admire this woman (from what was shared in this documentary).  I admire what she has done for the planet. I admire the way she lived/lives. Maybe there is something to learn from it that goes beyond the understanding of the similarities between Chimpanzee and human social behaviours. Maybe Jane Goodall's story  could teach us all how to live.

All is well.

References

"Jane"(2017)...on Netflix (sorry...not appropriate citation)

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