Oprah, signing off

Today, after 25 years of hosting her own show, Oprah has walked off the stage for the last time and said "until we meet again."

There are a lot of different opinions out there about the queen of talk shows. Some people find her too preachy, or too self-absorbed. If you are of that camp, you won't enjoy reading this because I have found her to be a source of inspiration over the years. I think she paved the way for people to search for their best self. She found a way to connect with people through the camera lens and made her audience feel like she genuinely cared. She got people passionate about reading again. She made us look for the Aha moments in our own lives. She tried to teach people how giving is the biggest reward. She showcased people who have fought insurmountable odds and somehow have the inner strength to not just continue, but to shine. I remember watching an episode where a girl in Rwanda had lost not only her entire family, but her entire village, her whole community was lost to genocide. Somehow this girl had the inner strength to persevere. Oprah gave her a scholarship because this girl wanted to become a doctor and help people. This little girls ability to get out of bed every morning when she had no one left, served as a reminder of the strength of the human spirit. But it was continuously showcasing guests like that who had these unshakable spirits, that reminded us that we are stronger than we think. Or there was the beautiful girl from Venezuela who was driving home and hit by a drunk driver. Pinned in her car, she was burned beyond recognition. She didn't want to throw herself any pity parties and only allowed herself to cry 5 minutes a day and then just carried on. Why do we ever get wrapped up in the tiniest of everyday problems? Sometimes it takes a show about perseverance to remind us that really, our lives are pretty amazing. I love how she always tries to remind people that you are responsible for your life. You may have the worst upbringing, or the worst setbacks, but don't get caught up in blame, take the opportunity to turn things around and take charge of the rest of your life. Lead by example. Keep moving forward. My favourite message of Oprah's shows is that as a human race we really are all the same - we want to feel worthy of our own happiness and we want to be heard, to be seen, to have validation. Sometimes it's easy feel like an insignificant cog on a wheel in today's rushed society, but to take a moment to connect with friends and family, to really talk, and to really listen to one another, is the best validation there is. It's hard to believe that it's been 25 years since Oprah debuted. I remember watching her show with friends after school, or curling up next to my mom over a cup of tea and watching it together. I think Oprah is doing the right thing by leaving on a high note. She made a great statement today in her parting remarks about how she found her calling and that each of us owes it to ourselves to listen to our calling. A calling doesn't mean "fame seeking." Your calling might be in the way you raise your children. It might be your knack for making people feel welcome. It might be your skills at making people laugh. It might be your ability to listen. I've met gifted artists and incredibly upbeat bus drivers who make sure everyone has a great day. Everyone has a gift. And I know I'm thankful that Oprah shared her gift with us.