The End of an Era

That's what everyone is calling Oprah's final show.  Wow, 25 years on air. . . some (most) marriages don't last that long.  Did Oprah have an effect of your life?  Although she's not aware, Oprah saved my life.

Sometime around 1995, I was in a very deep depression.  My sister had died, my father had died, Rod was out of work again, bills were not paid, and my Mom seemed to think that I had no life other than driving her where she needed to go.  One afternoon, I was on my way to pick her up for a hair appointment, when I got the urge to pull out in front of a semi.  It just seemed to be such an easy solution.  No more worrying about bills, no more heeding Mom's ever beck and call.  No more explaining to nebby, nervy relatives who constantly questioned why Rod wasn't working. No more trying to explain to the kids why they couldn't have what all the other kids had.   I don't know what stopped me that day.  Maybe it was fate.  After Mom's appointment, I took her back home and returned to my house.  I never watch Oprah.  Never really did. But that day when I turned on the TV, Oprah was on.  Her guest that day was Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of a new book called Simple Abundance.  I watched that show.  I bought that book, and began reading it that very day.  And it changed my life.  I started a gratitude journal.  Although I no longer write it down, I still mentally keep my gratitude journal.  And I started my journey to Simple Abundance.  I began to appreciate what I had and stopped crying over what I didn't have.  And my life began to turn around.  I still turn to Simple Abundance when life punches me in the gut.  And although I have the hard cover, I purchased the book for my Kindle so that I can take it with me wherever I go.  And it all began with Oprah.

Farewell, Oprah.  I'm sure you have touched many, many lives.  The world is certainly better because you are in it.