On Thursday this week, I delivered a breakout presentation at the YWCA’s She Leads Conference in Adelaide. The theme was “Owning Your Change”.
I spoke about how I changed my career from fishing to film and the journey and the lessons learned in between.
This morning, I remembered a handwritten note I received from John Pilger back in 2001 in response to a letter I’d written to him asking if I could work for him. I was about to change from one career to another and I wanted to be the type of investigative journalist that exposed social ills, like John Pilger.
In the note, John Pilger wrote:
“Dear Lara,
Thanks for your excellent letter – it reminded me of when I wrote to people in London from Sydney at your age. Alas, I can’t help; I don’t employ anyone. My TV company support a small team, and we all make the coffee! I’m sorry.
I wish you every success. I have a feeling you’ll go far! All good wishes.
John Pilger.
So, while I’m not the investigative journalist like John Pilger, I still admire him greatly. And that note was part of a train of events that lead me to becoming a purpose-driven filmmaker.
Thank you John !