Education is Like Light

Last night a revered Bengali teacher and writer spoke at our closing event in Bangladesh. The respectful murmur of the crowd and rush of photographers followed his approach to the podium. He bestowed on all of us an affectionate smile. Even though he spoke in Bengali, there was no mistaking the warmth, humor and poignancy in his message. We are all familiar with the tale of the "genie in the bottle" but he offered this to it.

"How is it that this genie who could grant any wish, could not get himself out of that bottle? What was it that was missing in the bottle that thwarted his powers? I will tell you. It is light. Light is the power. Once in the light, the genie was capable of anything. Education is like the light. With it, one can do everything."