“We often block our blessings because we don’t feel inherently good enough, or smart enough, or pretty enough or worthy enough… Your being alive makes you worthy… You alone are enough!" ~Oprah Winfrey
Imagine if you were to die tomorrow and you are summoned to heaven. You hear harps playing, see winged angels floating through the sky and just as you are entering the pearly gates God greets you and says “You know [insert your name] you’ve lived a good life… but, you could of lived a GREAT life. And this is what I wanted you to experience.” And as you walk with God the life you lived flashes before you… The struggles you rose above, the achievements you experienced and the lives you touched all good… but not great. For in that moment God also shows you what GREAT would have looked like. The race you loss could have been won if you believed, the job you truly wanted you could have had if you weren’t afraid and so on and so on.
In that moment what would you do? say? or want? For me, I’d turn to God and say “Put me back down… give me another chance… I can do it! Oh, let me live that life of greatness!”
The thing is, you and I are in the game of life, NOW! And we can decide to sit on the sidelines and/or be content with just having a good life or we can dare to be exceptional and have a great life. According to Maslow (a humanistic researcher) only 2% of people will ever achieve self-actualization - the ability to achieve one’s fullest potential. I want to be that 2%, don’t you?
As I watched Oprah Winfrey’s final episode, last week, a couple of tears crepped into corners of my eyes. It was a revelation of the inspiration she’s provided for me throughout my life. You see for me, a skinny, tall, token black girl from a village (not a city) of 800 people who struggled to see black icons on television or even in a magazine, Oprah was it for me. I didn’t have a plethora of choices to choose from. And it just so happens, in the limited black public icons available, she was a great one to have! And as it turns out she was a role model for everyone else, regardless of one’s race.
She has taught me and demonstrated this need for all of us to pursue our passion and fulfill whatever it is we want in life. So, I thank you Oprah!!!
Tomorrow is not guaranteed… we have only this moment… NOW… Don’t waste a second more of settling for just a good life. I dare you to be exceptional – and go from Good to Great!
May Peace, Virtue and Excellence be with you!
Nicole
4 comments:
dear Nicole, I understand you fine, but really if you think about it, what in this universe of emptiness where the atom is actually made of nothing who then cares if you have been great or just good?
June 4, 2011 10:51 PM
Hey Sunih,
The only person who should care is yourself... If someone is content living only a good life than that is fine. Personally, I want to explore and experience all that life has to offer for me and live a great life. ;)
Sorry dear Nicole, I was a bit drunk yesterday. Of course I would prefer if you could do higher than 197 cm next year at the Olympics in London. That would be great:) A creator always wants the best from us, but if the best you can do is 197 cm that would be great too. Perhaps you done higher unofficially?
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