Yesterday, Oprah Winfrey ended her historic run as the host of her self-titled talk show after 25 years. In that time, she has become a beloved icon of self-empowerment, as well as an inspiration through the triumph of her own personal story. In the end, Winfrey used her last show to simply reiterate the messages she’s been promoting over that time span, opting to simply talk about the principles that have shaped her life through the ministry that has been her television show. In doing so, she once again inspired millions across the globe, showing why she’s become the most famous woman in the world.
Winfrey ended her show with the same style and grace that has served her well over one of the most successful programs in television history. We thought we’d look at the five things that she brought to our attention that will last far longer than her TV show run.
THE “AH-HA MOMENT”
It’s one of those things that has become so popular that it’s entered the national lexicon. An “a-ha moment” is that instance of clarity that people arrive at when they see a situation from all sides for the first time. It is a phrase that has become as associated with Winfrey as “Dy-no-mite” was once was associated with J.J. on “Good Times.” Winfrey’s fan base embraced the term as they learned things on her show that allowed them to see a situation from a new perspective, and hopefully end their suffering or be able to forgive. While many of the principles “The Oprah Winfrey Show” held dear – forgiveness, service, validating others and treating them with kindness – are nothing new, the medium of television allowed them to become widespread in a way that transcended religious differences, racial backgrounds, socio-economic status and any of the usual things that divide people. Through allowing people to see themselves more clearly, Winfrey became a symbol of the myriad ways in which people can change themselves and their lives.
OPRAH AND FRIENDS
Dr. Oz, Dr. Phil, Nate Berkus, Iyanla Vanzant, Robin Smith, Bob Greene, Suze Orman and Gayle King may have already had successful lives and careers before “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” but her seal of approval would propel all of them to greater heights of fame. These “Oprah” show regulars would all go on to have their own TV or radio shows, with varying degrees of success. (Smith was absent from the “Oprah” finale, and Vanzant’s controversial break from Winfrey was detailed over two shows in this farewell season.) Despite how things may have turned out, each one of them is probably grateful for the time Winfrey spent nurturing and developing vehicles for them. King, Oprah’s longtime BFF, hasn’t been able to get out from beneath Winfrey’s tremendous shadow, but given her place as O’s closest confidante, it’s probably not that much of a disappointment. And as Chris Rock said at the Kennedy Center honors, one Oprah friend has certainly benefitted from her largesse. That’s our president of these United States, Barack Obama. Certainly, he could have won without her very public endorsement, but it couldn’t have hurt, either.
YOU ARE YOUR BEST THING
Before Winfrey, people may have been convinced that true happiness lay in life’s external trappings – wealth, fame, even family and friends. But what “The Oprah Winfrey Show” helped people to understand is that happiness comes from within, and that it doesn’t matter what has happened to you, what you’ve been through, what’s been done to you, what mental or physical scars of injuries of obstacles or setbacks have happened – you are fully in charge
WHAT YOU KNOW FOR SURE
What do you know for sure? We may think that we don’t know much, but when Winfrey asked her viewers the question, they started to ask it in their own lives. It became a way for people to seek some deeper answers in their lives and to ask what it was that they truly valued. In the quarter century that Winfrey ruled the airwaves, she was able, through her show, to facilitate a change in her viewer’s mindsets that should have far-reaching impact. Because once you know what you know for sure, you can act on it and make changes that affect not just yourself, but your family, your community and the nation and world. That is power.
LOVE IS IN THE DETAILS
Winfrey’s commitment to service inspired her viewers. Her Angel Network raised millions for her pet causes, while her love of books and reading through Oprah’s Book Club encouraged more people to read. Her many charitable projects have been well-documented, but her school in Africa was a true testament to her oft-professed philosophy that “love is in the details.” When the South African government criticized Winfrey’s plans to give girls at the school relatively luxurious accommodations and a beautiful campus, she was appalled. Her commitment to the students included giving them the best learning environment possible. That “love is in the details” philosophy extends to service, to the way you treat others, to the events you are responsible for and to everything you do in life. Winfrey taught us that true love is taking care of all the little things and paying attention to the slightest details.
That is what she did for 25 years on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.” And that is what all of us can do going forward, guided by her example.
