Oprah Finale

The Oprah Winfrey Show was around for 25 years. Some people watched the show from start to finish. Others watched on and off. Some people had to stop watching when they started new jobs or their lives became too busy. Little did people know back then that Oprah would grow to be one of the most influential women in the world. Oprah made a conscious effort to end the show on the 25th anniversary of her start.

The final three Oprah Winfrey shows consisted of two surprise days, put together by Oprah staff on her behalf. The first day was a day dedicated to what she had done for women around the world. The second day was men's day and the third day was just Oprah and her audience. It was what happened on the third day that was the most meaningful. Oprah did not have any guests, there were no surprises for the audience or even for Oprah. The stage held one chair and one Oprah.

Oprah did not use the chair the entire hour of the show. She stood, high heels and all, and faced her audience. She spoke of how much she appreciated the audience. She also spoke of how the show changed her life and the lives of others. She encouraged others to find that spark within themselves that makes them excel to reach the heights of happiness and satisfaction that she had found. She said that finding what you are meant to do does not necessarily mean that it would include fortune and fame. She said it meant knowing that you belong there, doing whatever the calling is.

That was not the best part of the show though. The second half of the show was very revealing of Oprah's thoughts and beliefs. She made it very clear that she serves God. Her words about her love of God was absolutely amazing. She gave God credit for everything that she had experienced. She made it clear that she served only one God and that God was the Christian God. She further added the reasons why she believed in God. She also encouraged others to find the peace and happiness she found because of God. At the end of the show, her final words before exiting the stage were "Glory be to God". Throughout the run of the show, Oprah never made it quite as she did in the final half hour of her 25-year television run.

Oprah has a great deal of influence around the world. She is more powerful than people realize. Her words echo with people. Not everyone likes Oprah, but more people respect her. She came from a very poor family. The family struggled and there were many trials that she survived as a child. She is a black woman that grew up in a "white" world. Things in Oprah's day were not as they are today. The trials she overcame to reach the heights she reached were incredible. In that final half hour, she let the world know what gave her the strength to get there.

Millions of people tuned into the Oprah show to watch her say farewell to her fans. Oprah did not stumble on a single word she said. She said that it was no secret that she had always wanted to be a schoolteacher. She then added that she was fortunate enough to have been a schoolteacher in the biggest classroom in the world.

Viewers never knew what they would see when they tuned into Oprah. Nearly everything you can imagine was discussed. She interviewed hundreds of stars, but she also gave a voice to others who would otherwise remain silent. She talked about child abuse, child molestation, lack of education and devastating illnesses. She donated her time and money to charities around the world. She left an indelible mark on the world. Now it is time for her to fade into the background and rest a little bit.

Viewers watched Oprah go on diets, cry, laugh, dance and visit Australia. She helped bring to life things that people never imagined in their lives. If viewers heard about something on the Oprah Show, they listened to her. She has been an incredible influence on those around her.

I was there when Oprah started 25 years ago. My daughter wasn't even two years old yet. Today, my daughter has two children of her own. Oprah was a part of my life for many years. I only stopped watching when I returned to work and could no longer tune in. In the last year of the Oprah show, I was able to tune in again and was fortunate enough to view the finale. Thank you Oprah, for years of service to the world. Your words throughout the years have helped many people learn to live better lives. Beyond that, giving glory to God in front of the world and dedicating so much time to your final show to God was just the icing on the cake. You have already been blessed, but those blessings are just the beginning for you. God has more great things for you. I never met you and was never able to get to a live show, but that's okay. I will meet you in Heaven, you dear, sweet lady. Farewell for now.