I’d like to say that she was born with a golden spoon in her mouth and had advantages that I never had… however she came from a humble background with limited resources.  She created a place for herself and the world followed along.

If she promoted a book, an ice cream, a fitness routine, a diet regimen or anything that she loved – the  Oprah stamp of approval made the product fly off the shelf. If she was against something, the world knew about that as well.

Oprah talked to us about weight issues, drug addiction, pedophiles, child abuse, books, movies, food issues and so much more. She interviewed celebrities, created a book club, helped others get their own shows (Dr. Oz, Dr.Phil, Rachael Ray), she put people through college,  reminded us about the power of our thoughts, helped  students get an education and took us along for the ride.

And then there were some shows where it was Christmas in the audience and the viewers walked away with thousands of dollars’ worth of products.  How come I was never one of those attendees?

Each show gave us a kernel of wisdom.  Sometimes we were the student and eager to learn and listen. Other times we weren’t ready to hear the words and for many of the episodes, we were the teacher …having lived the lesson and nodding along as we listened to others share their tales.

So, this iconic woman is stepping down from this role and entering a new world at her Oprah Winfrey Network. She is ready to move on.

And she hands over the blank canvas to us. To me. With all the paint, glue, paper, rocks, sticks and tools I need to create anything I want…

Thanks Oprah, you rock!

Related articles

• When Oprah Says Goodbye, Will She Really Be Gone? (abcnews.go.com)
• Say good night, Oprah (boston.com)