A few weeks ago, a friend sent me a book called, Reason to Hope by Jane Goodall. I’d heard of her as a child, and was excited to pick it up and began to read about her early interests in life, adventure,compassion and her love of animals. The link between Goodall and my article inspiration had a lot to do with the anniversary of Michael Jackson’s death.
Of course, not a lot of people know that Goodall, famed primatologist, was the one to inspire Michael Jackson to write the song, ‘Heal the World’…even though the theme and the lyrics of the song turned out to be about the bettering of humanity.
Goodall had become friends with Jackson long ago, when he invited her to his home at Neverland Ranch, where “he talked about his dreams for the place to have animals running, looking free like they would in the wild. … It was just a very charming day, very low key, nobody else wasthere,” she said.
Goodall, whose understanding of chimpanzees surpasses many others given how long she’d dedicated to spending time with them, had statedthat she’d found a friend in Jackson, who named a chimpanzee “Bubbles.”
Goodall described Michael Jackson, “In some ways, he was like a child, and a very sweet and gentle child, and he wanted me to tell him many, many stories. Stories about the chimpanzees, the forests, animals, anything. He told me he liked the way I told stories.”
Jane Goodall was one of Jackson’s most important inspirations and helpers in creating foundations and funds that better ourworld. Between all the good that Jackson and Goodall had and have accomplished,we should be inspired and try to pull our own weight—to create a more compassionate earth and people.
Jackson later created the “Heal the World Foundation,” which he funded with a the proceeds from a series of concerts.This foundation delivered millions of dollars of relief to children around theworld.
As inhabitants of this world, we should strive to be great—just as Jackson and Goodall strove to achieve their definition of greatness. In their and the world’s honor, please donate whatever you can to a charity thisweek, and “leave this world a better place for you and me.”
