Oprah's Goodbye

Jabber, I moved your comment about Oprah to a new discussion, as it seemed to make more sense NOT to have it with the other discussion that dealt with Boomer divorces. Somehow we got off track on that thread...

I also taped Oprah's goodbye and watched it while it ran. I have to confess she had me going for the tissues several times, and I don't think I'm an "easy weeper."

I have not been a faithful Oprah watcher over these past 25 years. Not that I've had anything against her, it's just that since I've pretty much always been employed, I don't have time to watch much daytime TV. (Though I do confess to taping Jeopardy and watching/listening to it while I cook dinner... I love challenging myself to see if I know the answers. And I've also learned a fair amount of trivia in the process!)

But ever since they announced this was her last year, I have recorded the shows, and I've watched most of them.

In my opinion, Oprah is an amazing woman. She has a mission that guides her, and the world is a better place for her. I was absolutely amazed the other day to hear her say that her conception was the result of a one-time "connection" -- or hook-up as kids say these days -- between her parents. All I've got to say about that is "God works in mysterious ways."

I too watched the farewell show yesterday, and then taped it later on another channel, and watched it again. She really stirred up a lot of questions deep inside of myself...I know that when I was going through my breakdown and subsequent depression back 2002, she helped me get through it. I had a teeny tiny notebook that I carried around with me everywhere, and in that book I wrote down little "mantras" or thoughts that clicked and helped bring light into my darkness. I still have that book, and most of those entries are from Oprah, some are from the women here, and others from various books that people (mostly from here) recommended. Those little ripples of light helped me crawl through and out of that deep hole.

It does amaze me how God has used that woman to enrich and inspire countless millions around the world. I'm certainly a richer person because of her. Now if only I could somehow roll all of her teachings and wisdom and inspiration into a package that would "quantum leap" me into the wiser me I'm struggling to become, LOL. Somewhere between knowing the words and living the wisdom is a threshold that I can't seem to find.

Eagle
you have such a talent for words...so maybe like a flower opening one day your heart will sing.
Could you think..imagine..go way inside your soul and dialogue what Oprah would say if she met you face to face.

These people like Oprah...(only several in each generation) enable us to discover our true quest and we owe it to them to walk the walk and talk the talk..

additionaly we all find the person who will walk with us for a while...I envisage all these people ...count them in..while meditating...and those who have died are remembered along with those who are still beside me.
the miracle for me is that whever someone moves on...that space is filled...

What Oprah said about all of us being worthy of blessings, I found impressive. What she said about always believing in God: That we all have an energy. God is love. We influence those around us with our God-given energy. It seems to me that Oprah
operates out of "The Holy Spirit" within her. And that line,
"No man is an Island" comes to mind. [You're not alone]; what
you go through, others are and have gone through. These are awesome words; because when folks get depressed, they feel alone.
But we're not alone! We're all part of each other and we're all part of the God who created us! This is strength-building reality! What say U???

I agree with you on the message Oprah shared about all of us being worthy of blessings - just because we have been born. That was a significant message for me, too.

I watched the third to the last Oprah show yesterday afternoon. That is the first of the star-studded two day farewell show that was held at the United Center. (I haven't watched the second part yet.)

During that show, I was struck by something Madonna said: She said (and I am paraphrasing her here) that people are always asking her who her role models are, and that when they do, Madonna always asks, "Living or dead?" She went on to say she has several dead role models, but that Oprah is her ONLY LIVING ROLE MODEL.

She then talked about how both of them have a huge interest in helping women in Africa, and shared that like Oprah, she too, has a school she sponsors in Africa. She said she's experienced challenges with running it, but she's persevered because of Oprah's school.

I was impressed.

You mention role models Anne.
does anyone want to share who their role model/s have been..or mentor.
in another topic...we must give Oprah her due by letting everyone share their own Oprah story..
we dont have her shows here at present but here has been a chance in the past to see her.and of course she is known world wide.

All my role models are with The Lord! And I think of them everyday! God gave me such wonderful people throughout my life.
I can't thank Him enough!!!

My mother has to be my best role model! She never gave up during the hardest times of her life, she is loyal, kind, smart and always thinking of others before herself. I couldn't find any better role model and it has always been that way for me. Plus I am lucky enough to still have her with me at 91 years of age and she is going strong and on her own.

Chatty,
Your Mother sounds awesome! And that's wonderful. I must say, I admire my adoptive parents and maternal grandparents more every day. Wish I had been this wise when I was a little kid. I might've appreciated my childhood more. But I went through an
identity crisis and that stifled my emotions some. It's like they say, "Hindsight is 20/20!

This lady gives a better sermon than most preachers! Wow! What depth she has!!!

Oprah isn't going anywhere, in fact we will probably see more of her all over the place. Her one unfulfilled dream is to do live broadway which I hear is in the works.

I was thinking perhaps she'd be on her OWN network more but live broadway sounds good, too.

Does she want to PRODUCE live Broadway shows, or perform in them?

Wouldn't be surprised if she does both! LOL...

IMO Oprah has such depth, compassion, and spiritual awareness.
What gives a person these qualities? Is it interviewing all
sorts of people for so many years? Is it living through physical abuse? Is it confronting an identity crisis? What? What is it?
Anyone want to take a stab at confronting these issues?

Personally, I think striving for these qualities gives them to us. There are people who meet adversity with grace and there are those who meet adversity with a 'why me?' attitude. We are basically who we believe we are; and if we don't like what we believe about ourselves, we can change it if we want to change it. We grow into the people we focus on becoming; if we see ourselves as victims we have that mentality; if we see ourselves as powerful and strong, we are. I'm not saying that these things happen overnight, but I for one went from being a doormat to an independent, compassionate, loving human being who isn't afraid to speak out. I have also learned that if I am comfortable with who I am, it doesn't matter what other people think of me, and it doesn't matter if they disagree with me, and it doesn't matter if they belittle me or verbally attack me, because I am me and I will only change who I am if I think I need to change.

yonuh,
Oh this is good, what you've posted. Really, really excellent!
I agree wholeheartedly! Mentality is the entire issue: "What we
think is what we are!" It all comes back to the battlefield of
the mind! Virtue is its own reward; what a man thinketh, so is he. U R absolutely awesome!

Yonuh, Very well expressed, and I totally agree.