“Let us use the gift of our lives to make this a better world. For the sake of our children and theirs. For the sake of those struggling in poverty. For the sake of the lonely. And for the sake of our brothers and sisters in the natural world – the animals, the plants, the trees. Please, please rise to the challenge, inspire and help those around you, play your part. Find your reasons for hope and let them guide you onward.”
In our latest book club discussion, we tackled Jane Goodall’s The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times. The book is a dialogue between Jane and Douglas Abrams, the internationally bestselling co-author of The Book of Joy, and at times makes you feel like you are sitting on the couch with the two of them enjoying a nice cup of tea. Jane tackles difficult and overwhelmingly deep topics through telling stories from her own life and sharing her journey in becoming the world’s most famous living naturalist. She uses storytelling to explore what hope means, particularly in the face of challenges and adversity. She highlights four reasons for hope: the amazing human intellect, the resilience of nature, the power of young people, and the indomitable human spirit.
Throughout our discussion, we shared how we each understand and think about hope, how we cultivate and preserve our sense of wonder in the fast-paced world we live in, and lessons from the book that inspired us to take action in our own lives. A major focus of Book Club was on the topic of maintaining wonder and curiosity throughout a lifetime. Jane believes that maintaining a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world is crucial and can inspire creativity, empathy, and a deeper connection to nature. Whether it be the ice crystals forming on trees, the first smiles of a new baby at home, or sitting by the fire crocheting a blanket, our book club attendees shared all of the things that bring wonder into their own lives. We also all agreed with and had fun discussing Jane’s stance on taking a walk. “I don’t like to go for a walk without a dog… a dog gives a walk a purpose…you are making someone else happy.” A universal feeling for all dog owners! Below are our favorite quotes from the book on each of the four reasons for hope.
- The Amazing Human Intellect
“’At some point in our evolution, we developed this ability to communicate with words. Our mastery of language allowed us to teach about things that weren’t present. We could pass on wisdom gleaned from the successes and mistakes of the past. And we could plan for the distant future. Most importantly, we could bring people together to discuss problems, people from different backgrounds with different knowledge.’”
- The Resilience of Nature
‘” It was 10 years after that day that I was introduced to The Survivor Tree, a Callery pear tree, who had been discovered by a cleanup worker a month after the collapse of the [twin] towers, crushed between two blocks of cement. All that was left was half a trunk that had been charred black with roots that were broken; and there was only one living branch. … And once she was strong enough, she was returned to be planted in what is now the 9/11 Memorial & Museum.’”
- The Power of Youth
‘” What gives me hope is that everywhere I go, young people filled with energy want to show me what they’ve done and what they’re doing to make the world a better place. Once they understand the problems and when we empower them to take action, they almost always want to help. And their energy and enthusiasm and creativity are endless.’”
- The Indomitable Human Spirit
“’So,’ I asked, ‘the indomitable human spirit is what helps us to go on even when it seems hopeless. And something that inspirates others?’ ‘Yes, exactly.’”
