A Farewell from Oprah

Rarely, have I had the opportunity to watch Oprah's show because of my work schedule.  Today, I made certain that I blocked out that hour because I wanted to see the manner in which she would handle the end of her 25-year run.  Monday and Tuesday's extravaganzas featured glitz, glamour, famous people from a variety of genres, and tributes galore, according to the media.  In stark contrast, the final show used a simple set with an emphasis on Oprah's connection with the audience.  She spoke with the audience as one would converse with a group of friends and recounted lessons she had learned from the 4,561 episodes that aired.

I could wax on about my impressions, but I won't.  Put simply, Oprah spoke humbly and was visibly moved by the frankness and openness that typified her issue episodes.  She firmly declared her belief in God and revealed that she makes decisions based on the insights she receives in her communication with the Creator.  The overriding message in her nearly hour-long presentation dealt with personal responsibility.  She recounted some of the people that had graced her stage who had enormous difficulties and yet chose to live with what they had, like the mom who had lost both of her arms and legs and the woman whose face had been so horribly disfigured that she no longer resembled her former self.  Toward the end of the show, Oprah introduced her fourth grade teacher. Mrs. Duncan, whom she credits with giving her a healthy dose of self-esteem and made her feel loved and appreciated.

As Oprah moves on and spends more time on OWN, her tv network, may she continue her policy of dealing with topics that are often kept hush-hush.  She has allowed people to rid themselves of shame and disgrace by speaking honestly about problems that no one wants to face: sexual predators, child pronography, abusive spouses, etc.  Her immense following can help in making much-needed changes in our society.  She transcended the role of talk show host long ago and has, instead, become a member of her followers' families..  Oprah has demonstrated how to come to terms with who she is and has found her purpose.  In doing so, she encouraged all of us to find our special purpose.  Thank you, Oprah, for opening the door to enlightenment for millions.  I hope one day we can all rejoice in our membership to the family--the human family.