Wow. It was a big week in the life of Oprah. She was honored like any royalty, like any giant, political or otherwise, like a true superstar. It had to be fun, all that honor and glory, for doing good work, for persevering, for having millions of dollars to share with millions of people all the while living a wealthy life herself. That has to be one. fun. life.
I’m sure those around her would also say how hard and tirelessly she has worked, and I do believe that is true. When someone gets in touch with what brings them to life, it is hard not to give into the thrill as much one’s body can endure! Oprah found a way or was lucky enough to have a way come to her or bumped into the right people and connections that opened up this path on which she could BOTH serve the public AND live a life of ease. Don’t we all wish to be so fortunate?
As Oprah’s 25 years as a talk show host closed with her big season finale, I was driving home from work. As I was driving, I was aware that I was missing this huge event… one that made the evening news and one that was compared to the likes of Walter Cronkite signing off and the series MASH coming to a close. I was missing it. And then, I looked around me, and I realized lots of us were missing it. The road crew sweating their heads off as they put down new asphalt. The moms driving carpool. The cop handing out the ticket to the teen driver. The scores of teachers who have wrangled students all day and are driving home with not a clue as to what they will cook for dinner for their family tonight. The guy with the pink slip. The local-mart greeter. Missed it. Missed it. Missed it.
Some of us are doing what we love. Some of us have a fair amount of money. But how many of us are not worrying for a moment about the next bill AND passionate about the life we are living? It sure seems to me that there are a lot more of us who are doing the either/or rather than the both/and. If someone can explain this to me, I’d sure like to understand it all better. My heartfelt wish, and the wish of what I think also belongs to millions of people, is the ability to live an authentic life while serving others while also making ends meet. Someday, I’d like to see the Grand Canyon and Italy and Alaska. I’d love to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my living somehow made life sweeter and more beautiful for another. And I’d be happy to know that if the refrigerator dies, I won’t have to get used to buying ice for the cooler on a daily basis.
We’re not Oprah and chances are pretty high that we’re not going to live like Oprah. Yeah, bummer, I know. But here’s our guarantee… here’s what we are promised by this life that is more than money and fame. We have it all. No matter what. We have it all. We have it all the moment we realize it. Yes. We have BIG struggles. Yes. There are people who have more than we. Yes. There are people with much less than we. Yes. It could be better or it could be much worse. Yes. This life, this life that we are each living is ours. Love it or hate it or don’t give a flip. Choose. But this life is the greatest gift we’ve each been given. Pay attention to all that you don’t have and wish to have… but honor what you do have. Don’t even try to be someone who you are not. BE YOU. Live you. Love you. And carry on, my friends. The season finale for each of us is when today turns to yesterday, and we missed it. Show up to THIS party, and we are guaranteed our very own place in the world. If you are feeling not so rich and not so famous, I hope you’ll call me because I want to speak to you the power of your own name. YOU ARE ENOUGH. YOU ARE WORTHY OF JOY. YOU ARE MORE PRECIOUS THAN YOU EVER IMAGINED. And today, I’m claiming this for all of us as we live our spectacularly ordinary lives.
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