Our Oprah Oscars experience…

It’s been a week of favorites and it’s only Tuesday. On Sunday, my best friend Lori and I drove from San Diego to LA for Oprah’s after-Oscar party,  filmed Monday at the Kodak Theater. (She happened to be on Facebook at just the right time…) We also squeezed in a stop at True Food Kitchen in Newport Beach and Sprinkles cupcakes in Beverly Hills. In my world, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Today brings another favorite… It’s LetsBlogOff time and the Idea Worth Blogging About this week happens to be, “What is Legacy?”

I think how you live every day will create what you leave behind, your legacy.  Since I can’t think of a better example of this than Oprah, I thought I’d ask her fans (the ones who woke up at 3 am to wait in line, for hours before filming in the freezing cold) - “How has Oprah touched your life?”

Despite the conditions, I couldn’t believe how they perked up, opened their hearts and shared their stories with me, a complete stranger.

“I had to  start my own business, from the trunk of my car to feed my children.  Oprah came from very poor means, but she didn’t make excuses. By her own strong will and guts, she made something of herself.   I look at what Oprah did and think, I can do this.”

“There have been several a-ha moments in my life but I never knew what they were or what to call them until Oprah started talking about them. I’ve been able to look back and say, oh, yeah, this is the thing that happened to me, this is what I learned from it, and this is why I’m better because of it.  Even though I grew up in church, hearing pretty much the same thing… I didn’t appreciate the moments that were shaping my life until she explained it the way she did.”

“Oprah makes me think about being a better person. And, even though I don’t have as much as she does, she reminds me I’m still capable of helping others. That’s what impresses me most. She’s always giving to others.”

“Every time I think of Oprah, I smile. As an African-American male, it gives me delight to see a strong African-American woman –  especially one that can bridge the gap between racial boundaries. We were noticing this morning that there are more Caucasians here … you wouldn’t see that for most African-American leaders. I’m a youth pastor at a multi-denominational church… I like seeing people come  together as one.  When you see Oprah, you don’t see color, you just see selflessness, integrity and wisdom. Even if she never gave anything way, everything she says is gold.”

“The Oprah show is 25 years old and I’m 27, so I grew up watching her with my Mom, reading her magazine and book club books.  I admire what she’s done for young people, education and opening our minds to books we wouldn’t have read on our own.  As an African-American woman, she’s also a visual for independence, maturity and entrepreneurialism. I went to business management school… I’m always thinking about what I can do… how I can pay my own way. Independence is very big for me. Oprah started from nothing and made something of herself. Anyone can learn from that – any nationality, male or female.”

“I admire Oprah’s message about tolerance. She encourages acceptance, especially of people with challenges. My son is 22, in college and has autism. It’s been a tough road, but Oprah has been an inspiration.”

She ended there, but with a nudge and a “keep going” from Mom, she continued, “Oh, I made a documentary film to share our story. It’s called, JJ’s Journey, a Journey About Autism about tolerance, compassion and perseverance.” She’s also one of Oprah’s Ambassadors of Hope…  Read the rest of her story  here.

For me and Lori?  These stories, told with such sincerity, more about themselves than about Oprah, extended far beyond the bucket list, the stars and the Oscars.  What we’ll remember from our Oprah experience is how being true to yourself can help others become their best self. Neither of us can think of a better legacy we’d like to leave.

Take a moment and read the other LetsBlogOff posts on Legacy here.

How has Oprah touched your life ? (or whomever you consider a living legacy)

P.S. Here are a few more photos from Our Oprah experience…