Goodbye and Thanks… Oprah!
As I am sure many you did… I grew up watching The Oprah Show. I was just a teenager… and this was something my brother and I did together.
I learned so much from this show, just like so many others. Over the years, I stopped watching with regularity… due to the busyness of life and at some point, just didn’t get into it over the last decade as she changed.
Yet… I have this soft spot in my heart for the show. To me, it really was life changing. I can remember exactly were I was, how the room looked as I watched Oprah and learned that my mom was a battered woman. I learned that life didn’t have to be that way. I learned that there was a way out. It was a life changing moment for me as I realized that I could have a good life with out the fear and pain. It was a goal I had very early on.
The other thing that I learned from the Oprah show was that despite my up-bring… in spite of my parents and their choices… I was in control of my own future. There was no room for excuses. My childhood did not define my adulthood.
I love that!
MY CHILDHOOD DID NOT DEFINE MY ADULTHOOD!
It was life changing.
I loved so many stories I heard… of my fellow humans. I remember one that I will never forget… a young mom… diagnosed with terminal cancer spent her time making videos for her child/ren so that when they reached each milestone… she was there too. I remember crying as I watched. I remember begging God to never take me away from my children, and I was just a teenager. I remember thinking of the selflessness of this lady… how much it must hurt her to make these videos… and yet she maintains a smile as she taped each one.
I could go on… there are so many stories that truly touched me… and yet… as I watched Oprah today say goodbye… I felt a sadness. I won’t lie… she, Oprah got on my nerves many a time… but I still appreciated her and her gift of doing what she did. So as she said goodbye… I am so thankful for this forum that taught me so much.
So… all the best… and thanks, Oprah!