A Season of Endings – And Good Thoughts
We are now in the midst of endings: to rain in the Northwest (we can only hope); to Seattle Mariners’ futility ( I’m a cockeyed optimist); and of course, the most talked about ending of all – Oprah, whose last network broadcast was on May 25, 2011. I’ll admit I tuned in to this one – well, I recorded it for later viewing. There are very few celebrities whose singular name instantly speaks volumes to everyone world wide, and I’d say Oprah heads that list.
Oprah’s last show was very heartfelt and honest. She has a knack for making you feel she is speaking directly to you, and that you are the most important person to her right then, right now.
In the course of the broadcast, Oprah made one particular observation that spoke very strongly to me. In speaking to the very human need for validation, she said:
“Every single person you ever will meet shares that common desire [for validation]. They want to know:
- ‘Do you see me?’
- ‘Do you hear me?’
- ‘Does what I say mean anything to you?’”
I have spoken frequently in my blogs about the importance of authentic listening, being heard, and being present to others by exhibiting true empathy and understanding. This is not only true in the context of a divorce or separation. It’s true in every day life.
So the next time you are with a loved one or friend, know that the only moment that is important is that moment of now – for after all, the past is history, the future is a mystery, but this moment is a gift. That’s why they call this moment, the present.
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May 26th, 2011 at 5:40 pm
We have no way of knowing how our interaction with someone, or lack thereof, will affect a person. Greeting someone you don’t know at a gathering and introducing yourself to them with a smile? That mini interaction tells the person that you care enough to find out who they are and it very well might have been the only positive thing that happened to them all day. Ignore them? Perhaps your inaction tells them that they don’t matter; they’re not worth talking to. Reaching out to someone, in even the SMALLEST of ways, can impact a person greatly. We all know what it feels like to be ignored. We also know what it feels like to be validated. Those with whom we come in contact deserve the latter. That’s my challenge to you – but more importantly – to me.