Jane

I count it among the greatest of blessings to have met Jane Goodall. 

Nearly ten years ago now, she and I sat quietly in my office prior to a speaking event, swapping stories and drinking tea. When she eventually stepped onto the stage, she exuded both an air of serenity and gravitas. Dressed in black, a scarf tied loosely around her shoulders and hair pulled back in a ponytail, there was nothing showy about her. In fact, as those gathered rose to their feet with applause, she seemed slightly bemused, as if she didn't understand what all the fuss was about.

Over the next 90 minutes, Goodall spoke without notes, a sip of water or even a shifting of weight. At first, her utter stillness didn't quite register, but as the minutes clicked by, I was struck by her placid demeanor. Perhaps it was a remnant of all those years spent in the jungle, where for long stretches of time she sat motionless and silent. 

In a culture where hundreds of stimuli vie for our attention every minute of every day, Jane Goodall was certainly an anomaly. She didn't rely on technological wizardry to keep our attention. She didn't reduce her remarks to pithy sound bites to keep us engaged. She just stood there, looked us in the eye, and told the truth.

"Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right." - Jane Goodall