Jerry Curl bids Oprah a fond farewell

[Editor's note] For many, many years I was an Oprah detractor. I railed against her "better life" preachings because I thought she was out to make us all like her. Not that there's anything wrong with wanting to live a better life-- but that transformation should come from within, not from daytime television. Adding to my Oprah aversion were her legions of screaming fan(atics) losing it at the mere sight of her.

But then in 2004 I went away to college and experienced some of the loneliest times of my life. A new city, a new school, no friends, and a burgeoning sexuality (if you will) was a lot to take in during the first months of this new life. Jobless, bored, and with a lot of time to kill between classes I started to watch Oprah.

I can't really pinpoint the moment of my conversion. Maybe it was the great car giveaway that year. Maybe it was the way she talked about James Frey's book and loving books in general. Or the way she heaped praise on the teachers in her audience for Oprah's Favorite Things episode. Or maybe it was the touching story of the lady who got the first face transplant in America. I don't know which episode turned me into one of those screaming fan(atics), but I was certainly hooked beyond mere celebrity worship.

That's precisely the secret to Oprah's success: she taps into the deep emotionality in all of us and makes us aware of it. She doesn't preach and she doesn't scold. She puts the power of self-awareness in your hands. She's a teacher, a communicator of ideas that you can either learn from or dismiss. I've shed many a tear watching Miss Winfrey talk about the struggles in her life and in the lives of real people. Sure, the celebs were awesome (the Tina and Cher episode especially comes to mind). But I'll miss watching her learn from real people and relay those lessons to us.

The New York Times has a great write up on Miss Winfrey's legacy.