I Feel So Sorry For You (Jane Goodall's Heart Letter)

It was a very brief letter but it said it all. Dr. Jane Goodall sent an email to Thayne Maynard, the Director of The Cincinnati Zoo expressing her empathy for him amidst the shooting death of Harambe, the 17 year old gorilla, this week. “I feel so sorry for you having to defend something for which you may well disapprove.” (see link for her full letter at end)

Jane Goodall is an animal communicator. Of course, she is not known as such but rather a primatologist. However, it is clear from watching her interviews, writings and from her ability to assimilate so deeply into the primate world, that her connection is much more than plain observation of behavior. She became one with chimpanzees and I have little doubt that she is an animal communicator, as well as a scientist.

Animals are capable of much higher thought and deeper feeling than most of the world gives them credit for. I don’t know much about the person, Jane Goodall. However, I do believe that her connection to animals would contribute a great deal to her ability to respond in this letter the way she did, from her heart. But what does this mean? We know that the human heart is not always so good. To clarify, the "heart" that I am referring to here is the part of us that is able to set aside ego, anger and/or other emotion that might interfere with our ability to connect with another being and truly have empathy and understanding. Of course, this is a subjective definition. However, this is how I have learned the animals communicate. From this "good" heart or as God would want us to communicate. Only God would give me the ability to commuicate as Jane Goodall did but the animals have taught me a great deal about reacting from a place of love as opposed to ego.

The situation at the Cincinnati Zoo was, of course, a very difficult one for all involved. A decision had to be made in a moment. To judge the individual who had to make the decision of whether or not to shoot Harambe (not to mention the mother of the child) is probably not wise. There but for the Grace of God go I. However, I will say that in watching what I was able to watch (I still don't know all of what was shown as I could not continue, knowing what was coming for Harambe) I did not feel he was trying to do any harm to the child. But what I took away was Jane Goodall’s "heart" in this. I pray that I would always have that kind of compassion towards my fellow humans. I believe that good can come from this for the animals, as well. Animals have so many things to teach us if we will only open our “hearts” and listen.

Jane Goodall's letter: http://www.janegoodall.org/wp-content/uploads/2796_001.pdf