I'm writing this for almost all the wrong reasons........
If the pastor who baptized me were still alive, he’d likely say a prayer for me, and wonder where things went wrong. Not only am I still not acting "appropriate" at service, but I’ve spent my adult life(22) mucking around with some pretty sinful topics: I’ve studied one-night stands, incest, homicidal fantasies, and man’s hatred for his fellow man. Goodness, I could even publish a couple of papers suggesting that going to church may be just another mating strategy.
Most people think my M.O(modus operandi) for a great post with a lot of hits is: Pick a topic that is normally not even whispered about in polite company, and shine a big spotlight on it.And there's no denying it.
But today is different.Its about this one person who i attribute most of my life to.Its her "empowering" me to be ME, and hoping that one day i might inspire someone the way she inspired me.Its about the phenomenon OPRAH WINFREY.
Oprah Winfrey is a shining example of a strong woman bootstrapping herself, making choices, committing herself to them and moving forward. That lady stuck her flag in a particular hill a long time ago and I say, “Brava!”.For this, no doubt, I will have more scorn heaped upon me by someone, and you know what? That’s okay, too! Not fun, but okay, so long as we stay away from the bodily harm threats .........
Let me tell you an almost "cinderella" story ,about a girl.She was beautiful.The apple of her fathers eye.Had a mother who loved her to worlds end.But she had step sisters.Lots of them, in the form of sexual abusers.Who killed the person she could have been everytime,everyday.She did everything she could to "fit-in".Just as cinderella had to wash,clean and scrub to be accepted ; she kept quite about her abuse,smiled and laughed the hardest.Never showing signs,but little did she know that in the process she stopped believing in "happily ever after".Then one day there came a fairy-god-mother(oprah winfrey),who liberated her from all the guilt and shame she was carrying all these years.Who gave her the strength to stand up and speak.And told her that it wasn't her fault.She let her understand why she attracted the people she did,and why she dealt with suppressed anger all her life and why she made a "STEP-MOM" out of her MOTHER for she did not protect her.This cinderella killed her father,for he wasn't around to beat the bad guys.And for a long time kissed a lot of frogs(today's very different).
Oprah winfrey changed this cinderella's life by simply making her realise her worth,so what if she made a little moolah in the bargain.Yes, she maybe flaunts a bit too much, but every now and then she never forgets her roots. Rags to Riches. Yes, consumerism and spiritualism can co-exist. Maybe I should not put it that way and should put it this way...God wants us to be successful, have abundant lives, be happy. There's nothing sinful of becoming rich, unless you have done it against the Book of Law. She showed it. Believe and you shall receive.She made people relate to the stories she shared and never shied showing emotion.She made people no longer look for how someone is different and in what way they can change themselves so that they are loved and noticed, but for the ways in which they are the same, and what they’re here to teach . Or atleast try.
My strong reaction to anything is something to examine. (After a bit of a cooling-down period. Remember, the end of this trajectory am I not at. Thank you, Yoda.)When a person puts themselves out there to be judged some people aren’t going to like him/her. And I think that’s a good thing.
Oprah is doing her thing. I am doing my thing. You, I hope, are doing your thing.
It would be nice if we could all start with that one area of overlap and wish each other well. But no matter what, I’m done converting. Hate on Oprah—or me, if you like. From now on, I’m taking it as a sign that I’ve finally stuck my flag on a hill where it can be seen…(And for the record:Oprah is cool,in a dorky way,yet still cool)