Innovation

Every time I read stories about someone devoted his or her life in a foreign country, serving others and fulfilling the meaning of being humans, my heart just tremors. I admire tremendously those who can munificently donate whatever they have, be wealth, time or talent, to reach out to the needed.

I believe many have learned that Winfrey Oprah established a school for poor children in South Africa; and the academy has recruited its first 152 girl students. I was browsing Newsweek the other day and came across a report of this event. Although the article did not tell the story in depth but I was very touched by how kind-hearted Miss Oprah is. Ironically, there is an opposite voice raised in the United States towards this charitable act. Some people questioned why Miss Oprah did not build up a school in the US. Her reply impressed me. She said children in the States only wanted i-Pods or sneakers but Africans kids desired uniforms to go to school.

I guess one can see all sorts of reaction in a single episode. If doing philanthropic things still need to face unjustified criticism, I do not know how human beings can really progress. How much good deed do we do everyday? Sometimes it’s very difficult to be oneself; then why should one care so much? After all, the meaning of one’s life should be defined by oneself not others. All I can say about Miss Oprah is that she is an amazing woman and she has done something many of us, the ordinary people, can’t accomplish in a life time.

There will always be myriads of issues before our world reaches its perfection. Or perhaps this day will never arrive if we do not learn our lessons from history and move forward with innovative ideas. Innovation, I mean not only in the regard of technology but also humanity, spirituality, and intellectuality!