Found Objects #30: Remembering Jane Goodall
A diary comic from 2021 that highlights Jane Goodall's humor and wisdom.
Dear Reader,
A few minutes ago, I found out that Jane Goodall passed away. She was 91 years old and certainly made a tremendous impact on the world during her lifetime. I think about her often. In fact, I think about her almost every day! When I adopted a rescue dog last year, my sister shared an excerpt from The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times, by Jane Goodall and Douglas Adams:
“Let’s take a walk,” Jane said the next morning. We pulled on our jackets and went outside, the air chilly as the north wind greeted us, blowing through the trees of the preserve. “We can make something hot when we get back,” Jane encouraged as we pulled the door closed. “It’s good to have at least one walk a day,” said Jane, after a few steps. “Though I don’t really like to go for a walk without a dog.”
“Why is that?”
“A dog gives a walk a purpose.”
“How?”
“Well, you are making someone else happy.” I thought of the rescue dogs at Jane’s house in Tanzania, and how she never seemed happier than when she was surrounded by all creatures great and small.
On Julia Louis-Dreyfus’ podcast Wiser Than Me, she interviewed Jane Goodall about her life. Goodall mentioned the surprise party that her family and friends threw for her on her 90th birthday — with 90 dogs!
I also think about the incredible opportunity I had to meet Jane Goodall in 2017, when she visited the the international school where I taught in Kathmandu, Nepal. She spoke to the entire K-12 student body about her life’s work, and she even took students on an excursion to study river dolphins!
Today, I’d like to share this comic that I made in 2021, when I was sequestered in my apartment, thinking about her humor and wisdom.
And just for fun, here’s another diary comic from this same collection about monkeys. I’m sure that Jane Goodall wouldn’t approve.
These two comics are part of a collection of diary comics called The Repatriation Diaries. The zine is out of print now, but if you’re interested, you can read them all on my website. As for me, I’ll be reading Jane Goodall’s book.
Thanks for being here,
Sarah
Thank you for this lovely post letting us know that Jane had moved on. She was one of my childhood hero’s. I wasn’t awaiting her new book. I immediately requested it as a digital audio book from my library and will start listening to night! Thank you!!