I've never been one for goodbyes. I truly believe that paths will cross again or that if you really are memorable to someone in a positive way, your presence and spirit will stay alive in the other person and the impact that you've had on them will be everlasting - a true tribute to what you have meant to them and their life.
That is what the final show of Oprah will mean to me. It's like a friend moving away – you can prepare for that goodbye and wait for the actual day to eventually come around, but when that moment of realizing “okay, this is it – something will change now” and they fade away into the sunset and you are left with the “what now” feeling.
For many Oprah fans, that is what is occurring in our lives, bracing for the moment when we realize that the next time we turn on the TV at 4pm and want new Oprah episodes, the reality will set in on us that there will not be any new episodes. No more familiar wisdom and guidance we were accustomed to will grace our day to day lives. For the past 25 years, we've been enjoying this ride of life and human emotions – creating memories, connecting with what Mamma O has meant each episode and being taught important lessons to further better us.
I don't recall the moment of how I became an Oprah fan. Growing up, she was always on TV and you would always hear about her or what was on her show for that day. I think in recent years, my college/post college life, Oprah became a major part of my adult life as I was left with the whole question of “what am I doing with myself” thoughts while trying to navigate my post college years living in Los Angeles. Like most people, I've always connected and loved her human interest stories – which is what the core of the show really is about; the universal connection to one another and the need to hear their stories and find out how someone that we have never met can somehow matter in the world and our existence.
Oprah has taught me that every person has a story to be told. That pain is universal no matter who you are. Her show has helped shown that people deep down are good at heart and have the ability to change their circumstances; to take control of their lives for the better. I have to admit, I have been a victim of hearing a story I've seen that was inspiration and then feeling bad, wishing I could do something about it but then resuming my normal life while I get a bit jealous that someone else has had the initiative to have actually gone out and done the things that I wish I could have done. But deep down, a spark inside of me that found myself connecting to the people, the stories, the great humanity that is a common threat uniting us all throughout the world.
I've discovered a lot about myself. My yearning to understand those around me, seeking out stories and listening to those in need. I've learned to be a better friend. The joy of giving and surprising and seeing others' reactions when they least expect it. I've learned that life isn't so bad when others who have it much worse have been able to pick themselves up off the floor and get back to rebuilding their life. I've learned to try to be a better person – to try to see the other side of the story, a better human in having compassion for others. I've laughed at her surprise moments, been in awe of the kindness of strangers, and even found the acceptance of being true to myself after seeing Ellen come out on her show and knowing that I was not alone in the world. Oprah has been a great teacher to followers, an inspiration, and one who puts her money where her mouth is (and probably may be a reason why I've learned to love Celine Dion so much).
The most important lesson is that I'm constantly asking myself and challenging myself to “be more”. To find the inner peace within myself so that I can project it out to the world and make my life and community around me align with positivity. You hear it all the time and it seems like such a common knowledge everyday occurrance in life, but sometimes we need a little reminder and Oprah had that power. From watching her Christmas Kindness Episode in South Africa, I told myself that my first trip to Africa would have been some type of volunteer program where my experience would be more about myself. I was able to do that January 2010 when I went to Ghana to volunteer in a village. Playing with the orphans for a month and being able to bring smiles to those villagers I had just met truly was an life changing experience. I felt that I was beginign to fulfill my own personal destiny and finding my own voice in the ability to want to “be more”. It was giving back in a way that made that feeling never wanting to stop.
The spirit of Oprah is a lot like Christmas. It's magical and it is all about how much you let yourself open to believe in the power of generosity and kidness. You get a sense of pride and this high of wanting to make people smile, to share with others what you have learned, and most importantly, the power of knowing that because you yourself have the desire to do something and that it is all within you and you alone, that is the ultimate “a-ha” moment of life.
I will never have billions of dollars (I mean, let's be real), or my own tv show, or even (at the moment) a platform for me to truly do what I want if I were given the opportunity (which is why I would only want the billions of dollars to do so) But for now, what I have and what my available resources are at this moment of life can help me do what I want to. My goals is to volunteer more, with plans later in life to really do extraordinary things on a global scale. To be more active in my community and to those around me – finding solutions to problems, being pro-active and always live with the spirit of giving. To smile more. To laugh. To learn the power of forgiveness. To read more. To be inspired. To find peace in spirituality and nature. To take care of myself. To offer advice and to list. To value education and the power of nourshing the mind. And above all, to live life to the fullest. Oprah believes that everyone has always had the power within themselves to do whatever they wish. I believe that too. But more importantly, I have learn to live that mantra and to always believe that my own life was destined for greatness in its own way
Thank you Oprah for being someone who let me know it was okay to be myself. Who helped me want to be more and do more in my life and be a person who continues trying to find ways to be a light and inspiration and to be grateful on a daily basis what I have in my life. That is the power of Oprah. That is the legacy and impact one person can have. Every great teacher, after providing all the necessary tools and resources that they can share, must now allow themselves to step aside and let their students enter the world with their new found knowledge.
Anything is possible.
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