My Farewell to "The Oprah Winfrey Show"

As I watched the final episode of The Oprah Winfrey Show today, I felt an overwhelming sense of inspiration from her final words and felt as though she was giving a personal commencement speech or even a sermon DIRECTLY to me!

My favorite part of the final show is when she clearly and profoundly stated that it is GOD who makes all things possible and it is in Him that she believes. I was happy that she finally said this because I always knew that we shared, among other things, a belief that it was something BIGGER that is in control of our lives.

I don't remember the first time that I watched The Oprah Show but I do know that she has been an influential staple in my life for a long time. As a plus-sized, HBCU-educated black woman journalist from the south (NC), I see many parallels between Oprah's life and mine, and although I was not abused in the way that she was when she was younger, she is an example and blueprint for what is possible in my life.

This ending of an era and turning point in Oprah's life aligns with the turning point in my life now, as I am 23 with a Master's degree and moving into the next stage of my life. She never missed a day in 25 years and this in of itself is a BIG inspiration for me as I start my career in journalism. The thing that stuck with me the most from her message was when she described what she believes a calling is:

"A calling lights you up & lets you know that you are EXACTLY where you're supposed to be & doing EXACTLY what you're supposed to be doing."

These words are and will continue to an inspiration for me to work harder and be an inspiration to others as she has been to me. I want to be that for young teenage women of color through a magazine and mentoring program to help them recognize their worth. That is something that I pride myself in and first realized by watching Oprah's show.

Her last words on the show were "To God be the glory" and I feel that was the PERFECT way to end such a groundbreaking and inspirational show that touched so many lives over the past 25 seasons. With the final show, I believe that Oprah Winfrey passed the torch and I will gladly pick off where she left off. Thank you SOOOOO much Ms. Oprah for being an inspiration to me and I plan to follow in your footsteps in the footsteps.

THANK YOU OPRAH!!!!!!!!!!