I was a recent graduate of a leading business school and I was to join a big company in Gomia, Bihar. The company chose only the best, and I was full of it.

The night train from Calcutta would reach Gomia in the morning. I had a letter that said there would be a car to pick me up from the station and take me to the Guest House. However, I found no person in sight to receive me when I got off the train. I felt let down. I carried the luggage on my shoulder and came to the exit. There I saw a nice car. The driver was walking towards the car .Ah, my driver, there he was!

I went up to him and asked him to carry my luggage. He asked me who I was and I introduced myself. The driver opened the back door and had me seated. Along the way, he asked me some questions about me and my family. I was angry with the driver who asked too much and answered him in monosyllables (只言片语). After reaching the Guest House, we said goodbye.

The next day was a big day. I was to meet the boss of the place, Dr. S. K. Kamat, and I was nervous. I knocked on the door and walked into the large office. The big man had his back to me and as he turned, I recognized the man immediately. He was the driver!

He gave me a broad smile and said he was S. K. Kamat. I could have died at that moment. I apologized for my behavior and was at a loss for words. He said that he had come to the station to see off a friend. And he had seen me and wanted to be of assistance. He never referred to the incident almost as if it didn’t happen. When I walked out of the office, I learned a great lesson.

Cristina Mittermeier is a marine (海洋的) biologist and multi-award-winning photographer who has devoted her life to ocean conservation. Recognised as being one of the world’s most influential conservation photographers, Cristina has travelled to 132 countries to communicate the urgent need to protect wild places.

She began her career as a marine biologist, but soon realised that she could better protect the oceans and the planet through her camera. “Science is important to understand what is happening to our planet, but it fails to convey the emotions that make us care. Photography allows us to humanise stories and create something meaningful, and I had an urgent need to share the difficult situation of the planet. I love creating photographs that engage people in conversations and makes them stop and think.”Cristina said.

Making a successful career as a photographer has not been an easy journey. Cristina worked hard at teaching herself the basics of photography and then she went back to school to learn more. “I studied the work of people I admire, and I tried to be creative in the way I expressed the purpose of my photography. I didn’t just want to take pictures; I wanted to make images of such power and purpose that they would inspire others to give meaning to their life’s work and move people to action.”

She founded the International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) in 2014, and today she is the co-founder and president of Only One Collective, which includes Sea Legacy, a story telling studio that creates powerful visual content to move people from unconcern to action. Having a big following isn’t enough when it comes to reaching a large audience. Motivating people and making them to act voluntarily is an interesting challenge, but actions need to be informed by science.

I come from a broken family, experiencing my parents' divorce and remarriages. After we grew up, my three siblings and I could go years without speaking. And that is where this story begins.

My sister Jeanne and I were born only 14 months apart, but by the time we were teenagers we had lost touch. By age 19, I couldn't wait to move away from our home in Wisconsin to live on a farm in Virginia, where I worked as a vet assistant. Jeanne got married at 18, moved to Chicago, and became - well, I didn't know what. We lived separate lives in separate states, and our connection somewhat ended.

When I was 24, I was on a trip to New York City for sightseeing one day, I was crossing a very busy street loaded with people. Everyone was in a hurry. I had laughed at something and I suddenly heard my name yelled from somewhere behind me: “Cheryl!" I froze in my steps in the middle of the road. Tears welled up instantly in my eyes. I knew without a doubt that it was my sister Jeanne. I yelled before even turning to look.“Jeanne?”

It was her.“Oh my God!" I screamed, and I began pushing people out of my way to get to her. The crowd started to pert. We must have seemed crazy. And there we were, standing in the middle of a Manhattan street, facing each other and smiling. I couldn't believe it.

I later asked how she'd known it was me - she never saw me! She said it was my laugh. I wouldn't say my laugh is all that unusual, but I guess to a family member it's infectious. It hits your heart and resonates in your mind.

Since that time, my sister and I have never been separated. We both moved back to Wisconsin. I see our sister-to-sister miracle as a lesson, a reminder not to lose touch with loved ones. It is too easy to remain lost.