Muhammad Yunus

I was so encouraged when I read about the winner of last week's Peace Prize: Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank. For those of you who don't know, Yunus is the visionary Bangladeshi economist who developed the concept of micro-credit and then made it work in the rural areas of Bangladesh. Grameen Bank gives mini-loans to the poorest people in rural Bangladesh without any collateral. The idea has been successfully employed all over the world and has helped pull many out of poverty.

The story is so inspirational and made me realize how much inspiration I lack in my life. I'm caught in my day to day worries and problems and pleasures. When I was young, I always thought I would join the Peace Corps. Just take a couple of years and do something that had nothing to do with me. As I grow older, I rationalize my decisions or rather, lack of them. Right now, certainly I can't go to the Peace Corps. I'm in the middle of my PhD. I'm married. I'm too old. Etc. But. I will do something charitable one day. I'll open a school. Somewhere where children can't afford to go to school because their family needs them to work. Someday. I will do that. What about now? I know charity and giving is a way of life. There is no appropriate time for it to begin. I know there are people in need now of an education, or a doctor, or a blanket. Or a hot meal. I know that I may not be able to build a school now, but that I can read a book to someone. Or teach them how to do some math. Or serve them a bowl of soup.