I think the most important thing is to keep active and to hope

“I think the most important thing is to keep active and to hope that your mind stays active.” Thus spoke Jane Goodall, the tireless observer of life, whose heart has beat in rhythm with the forests and creatures of this Earth. In these few humble words lies a truth profound and enduring—a wisdom not only for the body, but for the spirit. For Goodall, who has spent her life among the chimpanzees of Gombe and the mysteries of nature, understands that to live fully is to remain awake, to never let the fires of curiosity and purpose fade. Her counsel is simple yet eternal: movement of the body sustains strength, but movement of the mind sustains the soul.

When Goodall speaks of staying active, she does not speak only of physical motion but of the dance between thought, wonder, and compassion. Her life itself is testimony. From the young woman who entered the Tanzanian wilderness armed only with notebooks and patience, to the elder who now travels the world as an advocate for peace and the planet—she has lived by this creed. She knows that life, like the jungle, grows wild and dark when neglected. It must be tended, walked through, questioned, and loved. To remain active in body and mind is to refuse the stagnation of spirit, to keep discovering the beauty in each dawn, the mystery in each thought.

The origin of this wisdom reaches beyond the modern age, into the very roots of human civilization. The ancient philosophers, too, revered activity as the foundation of life. The Greeks spoke of energeia—the active realization of potential—as the highest form of being. Aristotle taught that happiness, or eudaimonia, could not be found in comfort, but in the continuous exercise of mind and virtue. The Stoics, from Epictetus to Marcus Aurelius, declared that the soul must not be idle; it must engage with the world, adapt to change, and find meaning through purposeful action. Goodall’s words, though spoken in the language of today, echo this ancient truth: to be alive is to participate in the unfolding of life.

Consider the story of Michelangelo, the great artist of the Renaissance. Well into his eighties, his hands bent and his eyesight dimmed, he still sculpted, still drew, still sought perfection. When asked why he continued, he replied, “Ancora imparo”—“I am still learning.” His body, frail with age, was no longer what it once was, but his mind remained active, reaching toward eternity. Like Jane Goodall, he understood that the vitality of life does not depend on the number of years, but on the persistence of wonder. The day the mind ceases to seek, the spirit begins to fade.

Yet, Goodall’s message carries another layer of meaning—one born from compassion, not ambition. To hope that your mind stays active is also to practice humility. She knows that age, illness, and time can dim even the brightest flame. And so, she speaks not only of effort, but of grace—the quiet hope that we may retain clarity, curiosity, and kindness as we grow older. It is a prayer, not for success, but for awareness: to remain connected to the world, to continue learning, listening, and caring until the final breath.

Her words also remind us that the mind and body are one garden, and both must be cultivated. An idle mind withers, just as an unmoving body decays. To keep both alive, we must act: walk in nature, read deeply, engage with others, and create. Goodall’s own life—spent moving through forests, writing her reflections, and speaking with people across the globe—shows that activity is not restlessness, but reverence. It is the art of participating in the sacred web of life, of refusing to become a spectator in one’s own existence.

The lesson, then, is clear and timeless: never allow the flame of curiosity to die. Keep your hands busy and your mind questioning. Seek out beauty even in simplicity, and wisdom even in failure. Walk, read, think, converse, and create. The body may tire, the years may gather, but let the mind remain luminous—alive with gratitude, wonder, and the courage to keep learning.

And so, let us carry Jane Goodall’s teaching as a compass for all seasons of life. When the world grows weary, keep moving; when your mind grows dull, seek new questions. For the measure of a life is not how long it lasts, but how fully it engages with existence. Stay active, stay curious, and keep your inner fire burning bright—for it is that flame, above all, that keeps the darkness at bay.