the most beautiful woman

Jane Goodall is astonishingly beautiful.

When I hear her speak, I am always struck by her sheer presence: her gentle yet strong voice; her empathy for both the human and the animal kingdoms; her concern for the future of our world.

And she has incredibly beautiful skin and those blue eyes that seem to see souls. (Did she somehow recognize the benefits of sunscreen before anyone else?)

She was a first in so many ways. She was the first woman to travel alone in the jungle as a mere teen, the first person to identify that apes use tools (a skill previously believed to be reserved for humans), the first person to make the world of apes look to many of us very much like the world of humans.

l’ve never seen her in a power suit yet she wields enormous power. She is soft spoken but that only makes people listen to her more carefully. She never lords her incredible experiences and expertise over anyone. Maybe she simply doesn’t have to given the sheer presence she exudes. But I wonder whether, in the apes, she saw our own capacity for both love and brutality and simply decided to choose love.

And she wears a ponytail to this day. In a world where women often cut their hair to meld into a short haired male world, Jane Goodall has always kept her long hair. she gets props just for that.

When I was a little girl, I wanted to be an anthropologist for a time. I didn’t really understand what that meant, but I knew Jane Goodall was a woman I should aspire to be.

I gave up dreams of African treks long ago. But I still want to be Jane Goodall, the most beautiful woman in the world.

I add to this post one rendition of the hauntingly beautiful Savage Daughter, which seemed appropriate to this post. https://open.spotify.com/track/0jZq0zDujagh2kLVYVGsN8?si=AB9CNd3aSgOm3BCH4YeXDw