10
Kudos To Ms. Oprah Winfrey
Posted by | Posted in Inspiration | Posted on 10-01-2007
On day 10 of this “year of firsts,” can our team take a moment to give a standing ovation to a living legend, Ms. Oprah Winfrey, for making enough wise choices to still be able to enjoy and to share all the things Success brings. She’s the “first woman” to spend $40 million dollars of her own money to build an educational institution to give the next generation of living legends hope. It deeply saddened me to hear her closet critics publicly complain about how she chose to spend her own money. Nobody said a single word as long as Oprah bought cars, gave gifts, and showered her audiences with materials they themselves could not afford. How ironic. After 20 plus years of blazing a trail few had the intestinal fortitude to follow, Ms. Winfrey deserves our respect. She wisely paid the full price Success demanded of her up front before granting this philanthropic “sheroe” full access to the fruits of her labor. Out of respect, I will always tip my hat to this most gracious woman for all the great things she’s achieved while steering Harpo Productions, Inc. into uncharted waters.
Ms. Winfrey earned every last one of the hundreds of the millions of dollars she owns the hard way. Oprah spoke the truth when she reminded our generation that “where there is no struggle, there is no strength.” I wonder how many of Ms. Winfrey’s critics are willing, or able, to spend “one tenth” of the money she spent. Her myopic, misguided pundits should be thanking Oprah for the gift of her time. Imagine how many of the beautiful children she gifted with her time, talents and treasure will become inspired by the foresight of her insight. May God enable those impoverished children with the wisdom to learn the same character-building lessons she did when it was her turn to sit in the hot seat of Adversity’s refining fire. Oprah, there are a lot of great women and men who deeply appreciate you, love you, and respect you for the classy way you handled the misdirected hate by the closet critics who can’t wait to see you crucified. No wonder my wise mentors always told me that it’s impossible to please all the people we meet all the time.
Kudos to Ms. Oprah Winfrey for challenging so many of God’s children to never settle for a life of mediocrity. I will always remember how much my brief meeting with Ms. Winfrey in Los Angeles, California impacted my life. I kept the personal letter she wrote that challenged me to write a book worth reading. Absent God’s love, grace and mercy, Oprah wouldn’t be the iconic woman she is today, nor would this beacon of hope be standing where she’s courageously standing today had she succumbed to the “disease to please.” So please pray and ask Jesus to protect the heart of her gifted soul and keep her from falling to ensure she will always be remembered for all she’s done for so many of our Father’s innocent children. Besides, I wouldn’t want my worst enemy to experience what happened when I stumbled badly, fell flat on my face and landed in the last place I ever expected to see. Surviving homelessness was no joke.
It’s safe to assume that many of you are still grateful Oprah cared enough to challenge our co-dependent souls via her award winning television show to never settle for less or become content to live a mediocre life. I recently heard author and Spiritual Life Coach, Ms. Iyanla Vanzant, founder of Inner Visions explain the essence of co-dependent behavior. “If you don’t challenge me about my stuff, I won’t challenge you about your stuff” is a paraphrase of what she shared during Michael Baisden’s afternoon radio show. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? Oh! Be forewarned. There’s a valid reason why Mr. Baisden is known as the “Bad Boy” of grown folk’s radio. Nevertheless, his Wednesday afternoon, “Living Your Dream,” series introduced me to the book, Story: Substance, Structure, Style and The Principles of Screenwriting
The more I learned about the One sitting high, but looking low, the more aware my soul became by how much I still didn’t know about God’s thoughts and ways. Humbling, isn’t it? Maybe that’s explains the reasons why it was so hard for one too many great women and men to test their faith in God long enough to learn to trust God beyond the shadow of any doubt. The testing of our faith in God requires much patience before Adversity teaches us why it’s wise to stop leaning on the broken crutch of our limited understanding and demanding to do what appeared to be right in our own eyes. I recently heard the following thought-provoking quote while watching the nightly news,
“A faith that can’t be tested is a faith that can’t be trusted.”
No wonder it’s impossible to please God without faith. The choice to challenge yourself to pursue a dream so big that it will test your faith in God until you achieve what appears to be impossible to everybody except God is yours alone to make. Isn’t it encouraging to know the truth that there’s still nothing impossible to God? Oh! You don’t believe me? Go ahead. Don’t be scared. Take the next step by faith so you can see for yourself how much you can accomplish with God’s help. Thank you, Ms. Oprah Winfrey, for having the courage to care and share “a love worth giving” to inspire those to whom little was given to keep getting up, showing up and standing up for their right to do what one too many children to whom much was given still take for granted.
©Copyright 2007 by Roderick O. Solomon. All Rights Reserved.
Well said my friend. It is truly unbelievable how far people will go to try to control someone else. I do understand that Ms Winfrey made an unfortunate choice of words when she said why she went to help children of Africa rather than those in the US but still it is her money and how she chooses to spend her money is her business.
Kudos Ms Winfrey
I appeared as a guest on The Oprah Winfrey Show in 2000, and she was very gracious and warm. (It was a Dr. Phil episode, back when he made weekly appearances on her show, before he got his own…)
I was very grateful to her for allowing me the opportunity to meet her and speak with her during the show. It was one of the most memorable experiences of my life, and one I will always treasure.
Though I don’t watch her show anymore, I know that she is helping millions of people to change their lives, and providing inspiration to make the world a better place in which to live. What a wonderful gift to this planet.
Hello Freddie,
I apologize to you because I missed your comment. Thanks to Kristen’s comment, I found yours. Please forgive my oversight.
Oprah is human and has weaknesses, faults, and flaws like the rest of us. I choose to focus on what she has achieved in a “man’s world” during a time when she wasn’t welcomed.
I wonder how many of us would have or could have done as well as Oprah has for so many years. I’m glad you’ve recognized the fact that she’s earned the right to spend her money on the projects of her choosing.
Pray for Oprah. She also needs our prayers and God’s wisdom.
Hello Kristen,
Wow! What was the show about and why were you a guest? What do you remember most about your experience? Feel free to send me an email in order to protect your privacy.
I’ve also met Ms. Winfrey while photographing the NAACP Image Awards back in th 90’s. One definitely knows when Oprah walks into a room.
Oprah is choosing the battles she fights and the paths she walks wisely. Imagine what she had to endure to achieve what she’s done with her life “before” turning 50.
God has blessed Ms. Winfrey to help so many people who may have been one “no” away from losing hope. I can’t begin to imagine how those young girl must have felt before Oprah blessed them with an opportunity to get an education few could afford even in America.
Thank you for stopping by here today.