Lessons On Gratitude With Oprah
It’s been a whirlwind of activity since arriving in Toronto on Saturday night. But the event everyone is talking about is Monday’s visit to Oprah’s Lifeclass – The Tour. Oprah was filming her show live in Toronto and we had tickets.
The whole day came together thanks to the fabulous Auntie ‘Cole. When I discovered Oprah would be filming in Toronto the same week I was visiting I immediately went online to try and get tickets. Unfortunately all the shows were sold out. But I threw the idea out there to Auntie Cole anyway – knowing she is the queen of negotiations and pulling rabbits out of her ass. And lo & behold, she made some calls and the next day we had 2 tickets to the show. That’s my girl!
Although we were less than thrilled with the disorganization, the chosen venue (a big room with rows of chairs at a convention center), and the excessive time without food or clear breaks (almost 7 whole hours!)… The show was still pretty powerful. With Oprah, Tony Robbins, Deepak Chopra, Iyanla Vanzant, and Bishop T.D. Jakes how it could not be? Auntie Cole and I laughed, cried, embraced, learned, and enjoyed ourselves. And we were even lucky enough to sit close to the front (thank god!) and behind one of the guests Oprah spoke to in the audience – So we get our faces on TV too!
The show airs on April 30th @ 8pm EST on Oprah’s OWN Network. Check it out and see if you can find us.
The theme of the show was gratitude. A perfect theme for my life these days. For all of our lives every single day.
There were lessons about releasing expectations… Finding joy in the seemingly mundane beauty of day-to-day life… How to instill gratitude in our children… Finding ways to be grateful even during life’s rough moments… And how living life from a place of gratitude can make a monumental shift in the way you experience and perceive your existence.
One of the lessons that stuck with me is the importance of not letting one single solitary event define your whole life. I know I cannot let breast cancer… or my mom’s death… or any of the drama of the last few years overtake me or become my whole life. I am so much more than that. We all are.
I know that living from a place of gratitude is one of the big reasons my scans were so successful last week. I know I must never loose sight of all that I have to be grateful for. Yes, life can totally suck at times. But who promised it wouldn’t?? Life is full of suffering. But it is also full of joy and beauty. And there is value in all our life experiences if we are open to looking for it and receiving it.
What am I grateful for today? I am grateful for this time in Toronto to be with all my amazing friends… For the joy on Miss M’s face when she plays and dances around with her BFF Miss K… For the sunshine… For not having to do chemo… And for the love I continue to receive from family, friends, and even strangers all over the world.
What are you grateful for today?
– T
You and Heron and Miss M.
I am grateful for your blog as an inspiration. I have been diagnosed complex co-morbidity (basically meaning I have a lot of chronic physical & psychological problems). During the time I found your blog (which happened one night when I got an “inspiration” to find out what was new with your dad’s writing), I have been going through some difficult times. Not cancer, but your writing has been keeping me going. Thanks is a little word to say for all it has meant to me…and I had my first Reiki session yesterday. Now to find a nutritionist…..
So glad my experience can help. And happy to hear that you’re reaching out to work with nutritionists and Reiki practitioners. I hope it helps you get through life with a little more joy. Sending you positive healing vibes from Ohio… – terri luanna
Ditto Dad…
I am grateful to have you in my life. . .to teach me these lessons. . .Thanks Terri for being another teacher in my life. . .xo
I am grateful that I woke up this morning to 6 children fighting about breakfast. ( Yes 6- but they are all happy, healthy and we have enough food to feed them all and a house big enough to shelter them all and a loving partner beside me to make it through another day with)….thank you for making me take stock of this and write it out! Thank you for your seemilngly effortless way you are teaching me through your blog! 🙂 xoxoxo from BC
I am greatful for so many things and ya know, I really don’t take enough time to realize how very lucky I am. I am greatful for YOU for making me realize how good I have it. I am greatful for making my 5th anniversary as cancer free, for my husband who is truly amazing after all he has battled though the years with his disease, for my beautiful daughter/best friend, for my fantastic Mom & supportive family (on both sides) and their wonderful spouses & kids, for all of my friends. I am also thankful and lucky to be able to enjoy each season no matter how cold or hot……that’s a little of what I am greatful for.
I am thankful for good friends, my family, the sunshine and being alive to enjoy it all. I am thankful to know people like you who can somehow give so much strength to others while fighting with all they have. You are amazing and deserve every second that life gives you. So many people go through life without really living. At least you will never be cursed in that way.
I’m also thankful that you got out of Ohio before the great norovirus outbreak of 2012 and for tractors. We spent a long time driving and they make excellent things to shoot at with imaginary pirate cannons.