obelisk 2022
One September morning in the fall of sixth grade , my mom and I took a flight to Montreal . We met my grandparents at the airport and headed to a tented event space . After checking in , we were led to a smaller tent dedicated to a private ceremony during which Jane was to be granted an honorary degree from McGill University . This is where I got my first glimpse of Jane Goodall . There is something special about being able to meet someone in person after reading so much about them . I had created my own version of what I thought Jane Goodall would be like , and when I actually got to meet her , she fulfilled my expectations and went way beyond . She looked frail , understandable since she was 85 ! But she also looked kind . Her eyes showed tenderness , and I realized in that moment how much is evident in a person ’ s face when you see them in person — none of which I could ever ascertain from a National Geographic magazine . She was graceful and always carried a smile . After the ceremony , we headed to the main tent . The chairs were packed together . Everyone settled down and the lights started to dim . Jane Goodall took the stage , sat down , took a sip of water , and began a story spanning across the 85 years of her life , which she somehow managed to condense into one and a half hours .
I listened intently and absorbed her every word . I found it so fascinating to hear the stories of her youth . When she was young , her curiosity got the better of her many times , and she shared many stories that left the audience laughing . As a child , she was curious about how a hen lays an egg . One day she ventured off and hid in her family ’ s chicken coop to watch the hen lay an egg . While Jane was waiting for hours , her mother was progressively becoming more and more worried because she didn ’ t know where Jane was . When she finally found her , instead of scolding her , she
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