jamestown
I was reading a back issue of Smithsonian magazine last night and came across an article on recent excavations at Jamestown in Virginia -- the site of the first permanent English settlement in North America. We visited Jamestown few years ago and I found it deeply fascinating both for the history itself and because until the 1990s, most historians and archaeologists believed the original site had disappeared into the James River. Dr. William Kelso theorized that in fact, the site was still on dry land. In 1994 he began excavation work, and within three seasons had demonstrated he was correct.
Dr. Kelso and his team have exponentially expanded our understanding of the Jamestown settlement. He and his wife live on the property of Historic Jamestowne, and at 74 he is still deeply involved in a project notable both for its significance and for the fact that he's explicitly included the public in the excitement of these discoveries: excavators work separated from visitors by a simple rope, because Dr. Kelso recognizes the story of Jamestown is their story, too. (The notable exception to this practice is when a team uncovers human remains, at which point the pit is screened for privacy and the grave is treated with the utmost respect.)
Dr. Kelso is one among a countless number of people powered by their passion -- for history, for writing, for scientific research, for music... the dimensions are endless, but the trajectory is similar.
I confess I am struggling to connect my own passions with action. Discerning when and how to take action can be complicated -- or perhaps I just make it complicated. Stories of action are inspiring because they serve as reminders that the hurdles we (I?) construct can be overcome if and when we decide to fully commit.
What is your passion? How do you put that passion into action?
Dr. Kelso and his team have exponentially expanded our understanding of the Jamestown settlement. He and his wife live on the property of Historic Jamestowne, and at 74 he is still deeply involved in a project notable both for its significance and for the fact that he's explicitly included the public in the excitement of these discoveries: excavators work separated from visitors by a simple rope, because Dr. Kelso recognizes the story of Jamestown is their story, too. (The notable exception to this practice is when a team uncovers human remains, at which point the pit is screened for privacy and the grave is treated with the utmost respect.)
Dr. Kelso is one among a countless number of people powered by their passion -- for history, for writing, for scientific research, for music... the dimensions are endless, but the trajectory is similar.
I confess I am struggling to connect my own passions with action. Discerning when and how to take action can be complicated -- or perhaps I just make it complicated. Stories of action are inspiring because they serve as reminders that the hurdles we (I?) construct can be overcome if and when we decide to fully commit.
What is your passion? How do you put that passion into action?
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