I know that all good things must come to an end. At least that is what the saying tells me. I find it hard to accept the end when there are so many endings at one time.

A marriage fails and you lose someone who you loved like a daughter. A friend moves and the day-to-day conversation that you have face to face ends, to be replaced by a long distance friendship. The friendship remains but you know it will never be the same again. A job is ending after fourteen years. Endings, one ending after another in a very short time.

And then we have Oprah. Today is the last day of her show. I think I have watched Oprah for as long as she has been on the air. Oprah’s show is one of the anchors in my topsy-turvy life. I  glean wisdom and encouragement from Oprah and know that tomorrow will be better.

When my life was full of endings or the roller coaster ride was too much, I would turn on my television at the end of the day and As The World Turns and Guiding Light would take me out of my reality into the fantasy of their world. Oprah would bring me back into my world and give me hope that with the endings there would be new beginnings.

Guiding Light and As the World Turns ended too. Proctor and Gamble did not realize that the stability of watching those programs at the end of each day for as long as they were on my TV kept the endings of life from feeling as devastating as they were. They were not just stories, they were lifelines for many people trying to relax and cope with the reality of their lives. The imaginary world of soaps let us escape for a little while.

Now in the midst of all the other endings in my life Oprah is saying good-bye too. Every clip that is shown on her show I can remember. I  too been inspired by Oprah. As my heart is heavy from other endings in my life, Oprah’s show ending while making my heart heavy,  also lifts me up and inspires me to reach out to tomorrow and touch the new beginnings of my life.

Thank you Oprah.