I am not ashamed to say that I adore watching Oprah
Winfrey. I may not be globally considered the most intellectual of thinkers to
admit this, but I suspect I am not alone. It’s not so much the celebrity
interviews and Master Classes, although I enjoy those as well, but her
conversations with the great thinkers, philosophers, teachers, humanitarians.
She does us all a great service by allowing us to hear them.
Today I only had a bit of time to watch an episode of Super
Soul Sunday with Elie Weisel. I knew of him, of course, and even missed an
opportunity to hear him speak due to unforeseen circumstances. What an
incredible spirit: Humanitarian, Author,
Teacher, Human-Rights Activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner. She talked with him
about his recent brush with death and serious open-heart surgery. He expressed
his thoughts upon being faced with death and said, “I have so much left to do,
to read, to write, things to tell my loved ones, friends to embrace,
conversations to have. I wasn’t ready.” I thought, if after all he has
accomplished, he feels he has just begun, I need to be listening. Instead of
feeling that a person’s “time” has passed, perhaps it is just beginning.
Instead of winding down, it’s really all just preparation for what is ahead.
I constantly am reminded that every day, every moment can
hold a lesson. Even the face of this man
moves me. In spite of man’s many missteps, he believes in humanity.
“Whatever you do in life, think higher and feel deeper.
Life is not a fist, it is an open hand.”
-Elie Weisel
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