Letter to Oprah

To love another person is to see the face of God

Oct 16, 2010

Dear Oprah,

It has taken me 14 years to write to you. I write you on the anniversary of my mother's death (14 years ago). You see, when that happens, no one tells you how to act, how to feel, how to go on and most importantly, how to just “be.”

That's where you came in.

Losing your mother is not natural. It changes you forever. Your life will never be the same. Your heart and life becomes hardened. You lose the softness in you. Your smile feels damaged.

The last thing she said to me was, “It was never suppose to be like this.”

I no longer had anyone to turn to. She had had all the right questions and all the answers.

So, there I was, five days from my thirtieth birthday, and without anything. For the past fourteen years I have lived on autopilot. Then, one day, around four pm I turned the TV To channel 8. It was a day like any other; looking for comfort, peace, wisdom and absolution. What I found was you. A friend, a sister. A mother, a mentor.

It started on the day I heard you say, “We worry about Monday and Tuesday, how are we going to make it till Friday? And Friday came and we made it. All that worry for nothing!” It was beautiful!

I was taught to feed the hungry, to offer clothing and shelter when possible. I believe whole heartedly in “paying it forward!” It doesn't even matter if it is some HUGE gift, or something as small as twenty five cents for a cup of hot coffee.

I want to say “Thank you” to you, my friend, sister, mother, mentor, for being there.

I admire what you do for people. I love the way you touch people's lives who you don't even know.

Coming from a girl who was just a lost soul in Portland, Oregon; I hope that when I grow up I will be a wise woman, such as yourself. And if I can help just one person the way you have helped me, then my life will have been worth it. You give me hope, breath and life.

In closing I'd like to tell you how much I wish we could sit and talk about our journeys.

I feel as though my mother talks through you. She had her struggles and challenges (as do we all), but through the grace of God, she always got through it. “Grace” is what she called it.

I know God uses books, television shows, the Bible, churches and Oprah to let people know that they can make it through the rough times.

Whether people choose to use one or all of the above, I say “Keep a smile on your face. Stand tall with a soft heart and you can have or be anything you desire in this world, just believe.

Thank you Oprah for giving me life again.

Karen Gray 503-268-3952

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us” Nelson Mandella