I had the extraordinary pleasure of an intimate evening with Oprah. There were 10,000 of us but I knew she was talking to me. I have “known” Oprah since she started the Oprah show. I was working in Cairns and used to drive to my home town – 16 hours away every 6 weeks to catch up with family and friends. My friend Nina showed me this new show called Oprah – well from then on I was hooked. We had never seen anything like it – so brutally honest and deep and searching and showing us things we didn’t know went on in the world. Here was someone who addressed all our issues. I truly don’t believe for one minute we thought she was white or black or brindle – she was just this woman who made sense. I scheduled my lunch hour at 2.30 every week day so I could watch and rarely missed it.
The thing is Oprah talks to us all and we all gain our own inspiration from her. We hear what we want to hear and take what we can process at the time. For me it was the knowledge that I was on the right path finally in my life. For others it might have signified time to get off the treadmill. But to me her message was – be who you want to be – be what you need to be – and find a way to do it successfully. If you are true to yourself you will find a way. If you have the passion you will find a way. If you truly believe you can do it, you will. If you follow the path that feels right and be the best you can be, you will be successful in your life. And the time is now – it is never too soon or too late.
What I also learnt and finally ‘got’ was that unlike most people I know her life WAS tough. We might have only had 2 outfits and 1 pair of shoes – we whinged as we wanted more- but most of us were safe. We may not have had store bought clothes but we had good food, a good home, at least 1 but usually 2 parents, we didn’t live tough. We had absolutely no idea that people were living much worse than us – I might have been ignorant but I prefer to think I was a little protected. We didn’t have grandmothers that were servants. We didn’t have the expectation that we would follow our grandmothers into servitude and as such we never had to strive to ‘get out’ of that situation. And most people I know were the same as me – it was the norm and we were very lucky.
And as such the majority of us are average, mediocre, like the rest, ok, but nothing exceptional. We are important to our family yes, but we are all very much the same. What I believe we did was floated along, maybe we were complacent, and maybe we didn’t have to struggle so we didn’t and so we have lived average lives – good lives but not earth shattering. Maybe we didn’t want earth shattering lives.
I’m not saying we didn’t work really hard or really long hours and cook really good food and be really good parents but we are still average people – special to each other and lucky in our life, but average. I know we admire people who have risen above their challenges to be great and love to revere these people but it was the first time I had actually thought – it does take being at the bottom to really get to the top. It takes great determination to leave our lives and be determined to be better and actually follow through with – to have the conviction of our words. And for most of us we didn’t want it enough – it was too hard and really we were quite ‘comfortable’.
I’m also not saying there is anything wrong with that – but if you don’t like your life – then it is time to change it and for me these were just a couple of the things I got from the night.
I enjoyed ‘Oprahs’ story of her The Colour Purple journey. It’s funny to think that Oprah – I mean really – Oprah! – had to try out for the role. It wasn’t at any point a ‘given’. And she wanted it as much, if not more than WE often want something – the new promotion, the new home, the school captain for our children – she really wanted it. And she got it. It was a hilarious story and she didn’t have to lose weight to get it! It was funny when she mentioned Barbara Walters – I really don’t think she knew we all know who Barbara Walters was and of course we know everything about America – they just don’t know too much about us.
I have thought a lot about the show and Oprahs words since then and I wondered how she cut 55 plus years of living into 2 hours. How did she decide what we would enjoy and what was relevant to us? She was very quick witted when someone would yell something from the audience and she wasn’t going to let them side track the show. She is the consummate professional. To be honest I know if I was Oprah I would be so far from reality with all the fame, fortune – I would be a total Prima Donna – and yet I really believe she manages to stay grounded and I believe it is real. And that is just one more reason she is so idolized.
One of the most important points of the night was – leave the past behind – leave it behind – move on – look to the future – if you don’t like your life – change it – move on – you will get what you envisage – you will get what you ask for – you will receive what you dream – but you have to leave the past behind. I totally believe this. I know some think it is rubbish – and that is ok – but I totally believe it and it is important to be grateful when your dreams are realised. Find your passion, know what you want, and do it. Find your passion.
So, thank you Oprah – insanely surreal to think we were in the same building –amazing and so very very exciting. I have my passion and my dream – do you? Mwah xx
