Oprah Winfrey: Her Favorite Giveaway Ever

When I didn't think anything could top Oprah's Car Giveaway, she's done it again! I just finished watching the last 30 minutes of Oprah's Pay It Forward Show where her entire studio audience was given a video camera, one week and $1000 each. No, it wasn't to pay a bill, help with college or any other personal need of the audience member. Instead, the audience was told to give to someone else from what they had been given. They were told to make someone else's life better and tape it. How incredible is that! I don't have words. I can't think of a better way to experience the holidays-everyday in fact - than to extend oneself unselfishly for someone else.

Love is in the details. What touched my heart the most was the story of a 68 year old man named Alferd. He was the oldest child and, because he had to help take care of his siblings, wasn't able to get an education. He did not know how to read and, though a senior citizen, reached out to a local first grade teacher for help. Coincidentally, one of the Oprah Show attendees put an ad in the newspaper asking people for ideas of how to help someone with her money. When she heard about Alferd she knew that she had to help him. With her money she bought him books, lots and lots of books. With teary eyes and heartfelt gratitude, his words melted my heart. His mother's prayers had been answered, he said. She knew how much he wanted to get an education and prayed to the Lord to grant it.

I know many people envy Oprah. I do too. But not for the reasons you would guess. No, I don't envy the fame, her celebrity status or a net worth beyond most people's comprehension. It's not that. What I envy is she has the privilege to impact a nation with her BIG heart. It's what she lives for.

And it is obvious to me that her heart thrives on giving. She seeks opportunities to give. Doesn't matter how rich or how poor a person is, she connects with the deepest desires of people. "Kindness with connection" she calls it. What a gift. She was able to understand what it meant to a man who was motivated to lose weight from watching her show. His daily motivation was that he desired to fit into a Porsche, the picture of which he posted as a reminder. What the cameras did not capture was that moment when they locked eyes. It was the moment that he knew that it wasn't that he was just going to sit in the car, but that he could own the car. Oprah says that she'll never forget that moment-the moment when their spirits connected. She understood and he felt it. Love is in the details.

Like those who have struggled most of their lives, I alwasy saw wealth as relief. Relief from worry, anxiety and fear. Relief from not having enough. Relief from having to tell your children they cannot have something and watching their eyes fill with tears. Relief from feeling second class. But that stemmed from the erroneous belief that there isn't enough. That lack mentality that causes us to see money as what is needed to have a fulfilling life. But as I have grown and experienced the joy of giving, I long to help someone rise above their current situation.

When a person fears getting their lights turned off or getting evicted, it takes more than an "I'll pray for you" to help. For some people, it is almost criminal to give them a holiday meal when most homeless people are lucky if they have one meal a day. If there is anything I envy most is Oprah's ability and freedom to contribute to this world in her own BIG way. Her unselfishness and infectiously extravagant spirit has ignited regular folks like me, as well as celebrities, political figures and corporate sponsors to raise their giving beyond mediocrity. No one else have left such a lasting imprint on my life.

Not only does she have the power to give but has so much fun doing it. Throughout her years on television, I have noticed how much fun she has. In the early years, it was her routine to stop by Dunkin Donuts to share with her staff. As her salary increased, she went to The Limited and bought everyone sweaters. Who else would appreciate the hard work of her staff by taking them and their families to Hawaii. And it's not for public show, but simply because she values people. Love is in the details.

Critics or skeptics can't touch her. Why? They cannot claim that she was born with a silver spoon in her mouth. Quite the contrary, she was the product of promiscuity as her mother was an unwed teenager when she was born. She lived in poverty with her grandmother for the first six years of her life. Three years after going to live with her mother, she was raped by a family member then molested by one of her mother's male friends and an uncle. But as she responded to the women in prison for killing their children, "this is how handled your pain, I just chose a different way to handle mine."

She doesn't fit the stereotype of Western beauty. If you strip away her makeup and everything else, she's just regular Black folks. She has our coarse hair, dark complexion, wide nose and big lips. She is curvy, sporting the signature voluptuousness of African American women.

Unfortunately, she's been the brunt of jokes. I've heard Whites as well as Blacks complain that they don't like her. Some say that she appeals to white people, others say she thinks she's all that. She has forgotten where she came from and doesn't do enough for her own people. They must not look at her shows or haven't visited her website. More importantly, they must not hear her heart. Who else would honor Black Women who have paved the way overcoming social injustice by having white males serve them?

Yes, Africa is getting a lot of national attention. I've watched various celebrities champion charitable causes and many are known for their philanthropic undertakings. People have raised millions of dollars and used their star status to advance efforts that have made this country better. I applaud them and sense their sincerity. Nevertheless, love is in the details and no one can attend to the smallest detail like Oprah and her team.

The most noteworthy as of late is the educational undertaking in South Africa. Not only is her school, Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, scheduled to open in January 2007, she has already selected young girls to attend the academy. To some, that move might seem arrogant and a lottery might have been more fair. But to me, I see the bigger picture. Oprah is not just trying to help young ladies in the present, but these pupils are the hope of their nation. With the education that will be provided and an indomitable spirit, these bright students will be accepted in major universities and will ultimately bring economic empowerment to their homeland. Love is in the details.

On one of her Oprah After The Show airings, Oprah talked about corporate sponsors who wished to donate bath products to the girls. Though she recognized that their contribution was well-intentioned, she explained how having too many products to choose from would confuse the girls. Keep it simple. "Just shampoo and a bar of soap" is all that is needed. Having been to the country, but most of all placed her hands on the pulse of the nation, Oprah anticipates what these young ladies will require throughout the journey. She anticipates the jealousy her girls will face. That's why her school will remain open year-round so the girls will have a place to stay. Even more critical, where else would they go? It is senseless to show them a better way of life then send them back to a cruel existence. Love is in the details.

I may never ever meet Oprah. In fact, she doesn't even know that I exist. But she is my mentor. When I hear her speak or watch her, her spirit fills me. There is a kinship, an attitude, a spirit that reverberates the words of Maya Angelou, "and still I rise." So I say "Here, here Oprah Winfrey. I'm proud that you are not only an American, but as my sister. Every time I tune in, I am challenged not just to be a better person but a better human being. Love is in the details.