Oprah

Today marked the end of an era and a quarter century of afternoons with Oprah. Sure there are the naysayers who didn't get what the fuss was all about. All I can say about them is they wanted to be different and, Oprah would have applauded them for their views.

If we all had a nickel for every time her name was mentioned on TV or in the movies we would have amassed quite a tidy sum. All these notices were not of her own promotion but, just the fact she is and always will be the ultimate household name and icon.

We all know her story of less than humble beginnings, the difficulties she endured and, her coming of age in the genesis of the civil rights movement. There is no need to point out that she is of African American decent because that would be stupid. I think history will cite Oprah as one of the pioneers of race relations. She truly showed us that we are all the same.

Of course you can't be rich and powerful without someone coming in to dissect your actions. She gallantly arose from very serious issues in both her professional and private lives. But, again, we all know her story.

This is about my story with Oprah. I started watching at the beginning when I was a stay at home mom with two babies in tow.....She was my age, we had absolutely had nothing in common but, she intrigued me..... She showed me aspects of the world that were never in my scope..... She got excited about things I was excited about..... She taught me how to primp and preen and, be confident enough to face the public without makeup or a hairbrush.....She made me read books and see movies that I would have never bothered with.....She made me either laugh, cry, be thrilled or, show compassion every time I saw her.....She influenced what I bought, what I ate and how I lived.

So, thank you my BFF who I never met. My favorite thing ever said about Ms. Winfrey was ......"Oprah is the Queen of the Chicks"..... So here's to you American Queen Oprah......"May your coming reign but as significant as your first".