Wednesday, May 25, 2011

I Can't Believe What I Am About To Tell You All


You all know I have been on the last train to Gloomy Town for awhile now but sometimes when you quiet your mind for a second you hear the exact message that you need to hear.

This afternoon I got caught up in the final show of Oprah's 25 years of doing her show. - that is because I am a 'last show' kind of guy - but this thing was beyond amazing.

Over the years she gave me plenty to make fun of her for, especially in the early years when she had bad hair and bad outfits and bad shows. She was one of the first people that ever did goofy reality show stunts like putting the KKK and Black Civil Rights Activists on the same stage. NO ONE was changing any one's minds but it was fun to watch the freak show. Again...I openly admit that I am a 'freak show' kind of guy.

Today, for the hour, she and she alone talked about the lessons she had taken from her experiences with her show and what she hoped everyone had taken from it too. It was such a major education for me about deserving to feel worthy for my own talents -that I always was afraid I didn't really have. I feared that some day someone would expose me for the fraud of an educator that I was. I told the kids what they needed to do to be genuinely happy in this world but I wasn't living the message for myself.

Forget for now how I lost track, that is a discussion for another time.

I like to think that my true gift in this world is to be able to converse with anyone on a million possible topics and keep them and myself engaged for as long as we both needed to. My father always told me to ask people a lot of question. People love talking about themselves and that is SO TRUE.

I you just take the time to ask them what THEY think of for example guns, comic books, octopus, lol kitties, graphic illustration, television or the weird and strange and magnificent things that are always happening on this goofy little planet of ours - they will genuinely have something to tell me that I never thought of before. I then store that information in the huge database that is my brain only so I can recall it at a later time to enlighten a future conversation or challenge someone to defend their beliefs.

I totally admit that when it come to the subject of RELIGION that I can be very judgemental and narrow minded about people who use their beliefs to defend why they hate what OTHER people believe or chose for their lifestyle. Of course I am doing the exact same thing.

But I will also proudly say that there is not a single person out there who has commented on my blog in the past 4 years - on one of several of the nearly 9000 posts I have done that I haven't reached back to and made some kind of a connection with. Some followers have become some of the closest and most important people in my life today. I know that they 'get me' and chuckle a little when you see a story in the media about some stupid octopus (you did know that the LAST Space Shuttle Mission had little octopi with them in space to observe how they acted in zero gravity. I will tell you how they acted... (feel free to finish that thought in your own head. You all already know EXACTLY what I think)

What I am saying is that everyone needs to watch Oprah's final show. Download the torrent or watch it on You Tube or wherever you can find it on The Google. I swear to you that not a word she said rang false and not a single piece of advice wasn't something EVERYONE needed to be reminded of.

You are all free to laugh at me now. I get that. I am often not 'ha ha' funny but 'peculiar' funny. I also apologize to anyone who hates that about me because you are going to like me even less from now on. I am a changed man.

I feel great today. Before starting this post I took her most earnest plea at the end of the hour to tell at least one person that I thought they were amazing and that I totally understood who they were and honestly believed they could be magnificent whether they thought the same or not.. It's that whole belief that I am a guy who is worthy of happiness. And so are YOU.

I feel at peace and my churning mind is finally still for the first time in a long time.

I thank Sister Oprah for giving me this gift today. I touched that 'Face of Grace' (though my 'god' leans more towards 'Galactus' than 'Yahweh' at this moment....'cough') and am deeply impressed with the effect it had on me.

Sure tomorrow I may get right back under that little black rain cloud - because I am an 'extreme weather' kind of guy - but for now - everything is all Cool in the Cave.

21 comments:

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Yes, it was an inspiring and profound message. I hope that every time you're waiting for the train to Gloomy Town, you watch that episode again.

DrGoat said...

With you through thick and thin.
Getting some enlightenment out of anything is a gem to covet.

TS Hendrik said...

Glad to hear something gave you a boost.

RaShelle Workman said...

I have the show tivo'd. I'll have to check it out. Glad you enjoyed it.
ps: Love the kitty pics below. =D

Super-Duper ToyBox said...

i think that's GREAT- several months ago, before i started the ToyBox, I had a similar revelation when i sobered up/started taking better care of myself & tried to like myself more. it's taken a lot of work in the last many months, but it's made my life better. i understand people better, i feel more optimistic, i'm more efficient, i'm happier... i'm a work in progress, and we all are (hopefully) until we die.

Kal said...

And in the spirit of the day I hope you know how cool your collection of toys is. I need to get a new file reader so that I can save pictures from my digital camera and start doing a daily feature about one of the awesome pieces in my own collection.

Kal said...

Thanks RaShelle. I like disovering the perfect cat image to go with any situation. But more often I see an image and I immediately know what was going on before the picture was taken and afterwards. Usually it has to do with the cat's constant struggle to acquire and reliable supply chain of the 'noms' they love so much. Or they are making some sarcastic comment about 'dogs' or especially pet owners who are of course to blame everytime the cat makes messes. Cat's think they were always entrapped into doing mischief by some complicated chain of events which make no sense when viewed through the beauty of 'hindsight'

Valerie said...

Cal, I am so very happy that you truly heard her message today. We all need moments like that and I have to say I cannot wait till this weekend when I watch it on Hulu.

With you through thick, thin and metaphysical. Let the gloomy train pass you bye and try waving next time.

Sam G said...

Heh...I also I'm a last show type as well and yeah it was a powerful message. I need to get off my ass and start painting again.

Rawknrobyn.blogspot.com said...

I'm glad the show was so inspiring, Kal. I'll have to find and watch it. It's good to know she didn't go out with a big hoopla, bring in Obama and give away cars. Rather, she brought things back home. Nice.
Big hugs, my friend.
xoRobyn

Wings1295 said...

I didn't watch the show, but I may look for it after your praise of it.

And don't apologize for liking it, or for liking anything. This world needs to be made up of different people with different likes and dislikes. Liking Oprah, or just an Oprah episode, shouldn't be something you feel you need to apologize for! Own it all, own who you are and what you like!

Hell, if we all just let ourselves - and each other - be who we are without so much judgment and cynicism, well, what a wonderful world it would be!

:)

M. D. Jackson said...

You know something, Cal? All talented people (the humble ones, anyway) feel the same way: That at any moment someone is going to come and reveal them for a fraud. You have talent and a rare gift, my friend. I can easily give you a list of 395 people who agree.

I'm very happy that you have come to this epiphany. Oprah moves in mysterious ways, doesn't she?

Anonymous said...

I gotta say, I love your site and your sense of humour...and the fact that you're Canadian. Therefore, I humbly bestowe on you the "Irresistably Sweet Blog Award". I highlighted you in my latest blog...http://tobinelliott.wordpress.com/2011/05/26/the-irresistibly-sweet-blog-award/

Bubbashelby said...

Very inspiring. I may just have to watch that episode myself. Perhaps my cold cold heart could use a little warming up too ;)

LaurieB said...

Bravo, Kal. Bravo. Don't feel the need to apologize for the source.

Have you ever heard that phrase, "I discovered the secret of the universe, but I forgot to write it down"? Yep...she said something yesterday that I felt could have been a butt-kicking moment for me and today, I couldn't tell you what it was.

Carry on...

Margaret Benbow said...

I follow three dozen blogs, but yours is always one of the first I turn to--because it's so creative and has a broad, fascinating frame of reference; because the graphics are great; because your posts are often profoundly thoughtful (like today) and a good heart shines through all of your talent. Please know that you give many followers the strength not to climb on the gloomy train.

Kal said...

Thanks for all those comments, people. Laurie is right. I did wake up and wonder if it was all a dream and then went and downloaded that episode to watch whenever I doubted it again.

Sarah said...

I'm so glad to hear you're off the gloomy train and that you got off on the I Like Myself stop. As much as I love your angst and ennui I also love your child's heart and insights.

You're inspiring to me and a big part of the reason I started blogging myself!

So many of your commentors have already said it much better than I so I will just end with "Ditto!"

Belle said...

I haven't watched Oprah for many years, but I will definately find this one. I'm so glad she gave you encouragement, which we all need so much in this life. That is just great. It's good you can watch it over and over as I do that with my books and tv shows that help me. I just feel so happy for you.

Kal said...

I have really missed talking to you Sarah.

Trust me, Belle. No one was more surprised than me. I have heard all this before but never all together and never with any real interruptions except commercials.

Cora said...

I too haven't seen an Oprah show in years. I missed the finale too. You have utterly made me want to hunt it down now and see what I missed. I could use a pick-me-up like that.

Thanks, Kal. :-)