A Letter To Oprah

Dear Oprah,

Oprah

I don’t even know how to begin. I feel like my life at 35 is literally a conglomerate of what you and your guest have taught me. I watched the Ultimate Guest show you just did, and I remember most of those shows and those moments ABSOLUTELY were life changing for me.

In particular the women who’s baby died in the car. I think of that story almost daily, and my awareness as a parent of mine and even other children is now completely different than before I saw it. Toni Morrison’s words about “does your face light up” when you see your child, has been the voice in the back of my head
through all the difficult times I’ve gone through as a mother. I strive not to show it on my face and to give my children the light in my eyes. But even today in the replay I caught something new, that it’s not enough to light up the first time they walk into the room, but EVERY time. That hit me like a mac truck. I know so many times I don’t pay attention like I should, when my children talk, or show me something.  I thought lighting up that first time was enough, I didn’t realize my lack of undivided attention was robing them of their innocence.I without question learn something new EVERY show.

I think I’m an Ultimate Viewer, because I’ve not been a passive viewer. It makes me cry as I write this, but every piece of wisdom that has caused a light to go on in my mind, has been one I’ve tried to implement in my life. There are days when it’s hard and we are tested, but a clip from a show will come into my mind and it will be what I need in that moment.

You have taught me HOW to be a nurturing mother. This is not something I learned from mine.

You taught me how to sneak goodness into my children’s food, how to slow down and appreciate them.

You taught me, (the day before I found out), what the signs were to look for in a cheating husband. I looked for them and I discovered his affair the next day, by going through the shows check list.You showed me other women that cry the “ugly” cry on their bathroom floors, even as I cry it now.  They gave me strength to stop hyperventilating, and stand up.

You showed me how to make it through a divorce. How to re-learn to be a mother, now that I was a single working one. You acknowledged that it’s the hardest job in the world. You validated me.

You gave me faith and hope when I had NONE.  You taught me that I can have permission to dream, even dream big (something I didn’t think I deserved to do before). You gave me the “how” I followed the steps and I dreamed.  I began to believe, to change my mindset and change my life.

You taught me how to recycle, how to coupon shop!

You taught me how to READ. I don’t think I had read a book for pleasure ever before you started your book club. I bought every single one, and started reading. My first book was “She’s Come Undone” to this day I still LOVE Wally Lamb.  I learned that books were interesting, engrossing, sad, emotional and relatable. I loaded them out, just had to share them. You taught me that.You taught me, that even when tested beyond measure (I lost my job this week out of the blue and from no fault of my own and have 3 small children to support), how that if I can still say “thank you” (which I have been all week) that my “faith is strong and nothing can break me” I needed to hear that, and I just did.

 I learned how to buy a bra! Thank god!

I learned that 35 is not old! That the best is yet to come.

I learned how to be grateful, how to give thanks even when I had nothing.

I learned I am responsible for my choices and that I have the power to change my future outcomes.

I learned to take care of myself. I eat almonds! I trained for a marathon!

I learned that my thoughts are so much more powerful than I ever knew possible.

So I know you’re looking for an “Ultimate viewer” that did something dramatic like losing a bunch of weight (btw thanks you helped me do that too!)…but maybe what you should be looking for is AVERAGE viewers. Viewers who, like me, thanks to you, strive EVERYDAY to take all they have learned and change every part of their lives.

And Oprah when you do that, than you see that you have empowered not ONE person to do something amazing, but that you empower an army. You empowered me, and now I hope to empower others with the tools you have given me.

Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for opening my life up to joy. To so many new ideas, and giving me the “how” to put it all into practice the best way I know how.  I truly am “living my best life”.

God bless you.

What has Oprah taught you??? Please leave your own list in the comments…I’d love to hear your stories.

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Sarah Centrella is the author of the book Hustle Believe Receive which teaches you how to apply the #HBRMethod to change your life and live your dream.

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Author | Life Coach | Motivational Speaker and single mama. I'm a chick on a mission to prove anything is possible for ANYONE. My story featured in the New York Times, Steve Harvey Show and NBC.