Thank You Oprah--From A Grateful Adult Child of an Alcoholic

As I grow into spirit and push past prior boundaries of my mind so do I share the lessons I am learning. I am convinced this is the way life was meant to be lived--learn and spread the word. Although my perceptions of God and of Christ have played tugs of war in my head throughout the years, I have been unable to ever discount the lessons The Bible so eloquently finds ways to enlighten man. May your spirit be poked, and your mind be nudged to allow some of what I have learned add a new dimension to how you perceive your magnificent Self in the world of the material.

The greatest psychology book ever written, The Bible has a cure for every woe. As a seeker of truth, I am awe inspired every time my mind and soul raises higher due to some connection I am able to make between living my life as a recovering ACoA and the written words of Creator. As an adult child of an alcoholic I have learned to fear pushing past comfort zones. Fear of criticism, rejection and abandonment have encouraged me to gravitate towards aloneness.

It has taken me decades to learn how to hold onto myself while in the company of others. Today I consider myself to be self loving. In spite of how I was programmed to devalue the very essence of me, I have learned to soothe the self condemning voice in my head; the one that ordinarily chastised the reflection in the mirror, and sat like an adversarial ghost upon my shoulder.

In some of my most quiet moments I have discovered that the vibration of gratitude holds within it the recipe required to create miracles. For the past few months I have been listening to the grand Oprah Winfrey on Sirius radio during my one hour commute to work and back. Although I have practiced the art of deliberate focus for a number of years now, listening to Oprah Radio for that length of time in such a confined environment has helped enhance my ability to stay on an emotionally high flying disc at a more welcomed intense level.

Oprah Winfrey has helped we recovering adult children from alcoholic and dysfunctional homes in ways she may never realize. I was in my early twenties when I first watched the Oprah Winfrey show. I can remember the unfamiliar rustling of my spirit stirring within me as my mind became uncharacteristically present while listening to her speak. Unbeknownst to me at the time Oprah's intent to share her life's lessons with others was resonating with a facet of me I had yet to consciously discover.

I doubt I am alone. With The Oprah Winfrey Show suddenly upon the scene, women and men everywhere were being called upon to awaken to something more--something new--something so many of us had been programmed to miss.

I didn't know it at the time, but all of my people pleasing, smiling on cue, burning resentments, secret jealousies and disowning of self was tied to childhood programming that had been infected by the corrupt belief systems brought about by the dis-ease of alcoholism. Raised by two unaware adult children of alcoholics, my spirits wings were bound by misperceptions of Self.

As I look through what I call the jagged peephole of self awareness I must acknowledge the lanterns that have in their own unique way illuminated the road back to me. Yes, Oprah's life lessons have helped millions upon millions of people, but I for one feel compelled to acknowledge how her spreading of the word has enhanced my ability to heal as an adult child of an alcoholic.

The middle aged woman I am today sits comfortably with the layers of life I have filtered through. As a child I once perceived Jesus as a martyr. The bloodied, pitiful sculpture of him that hung by invisible ropes above our churches altar filled me with guilt. Over and over I was told "He suffered because of you." The stories about Jesus did little more than confuse the already insecure child I was. As an adult dedicated to Self Awareness I no longer allow a church or man made rules created to manipulate how I see Christ or how I perceive my own Self in relationship to Christ, to steer my emotional boat.

I get it now. In spite all the bumps on the road called 'My Life' I have had to go through many seasons. I had to experience Christ, God, and Self through the eyes of others--so that I could more clearly create my own unique perceptions. I had to feel confused. Guilt, shame, doubt and confusion were the tools that helped me carve out my personal desire for peace and contentment. I had to walk in the dark, so that I could appreciate the abundance that is created when one deliberately and continually chooses to walk in the light.

Oprah has been one of my greatest mentors, and I for one am so grateful for her willingness to spread the life lessons she has learned along her own personal journey.

Oprah has also helped me shape my understanding of God/Creator/Source/Christ. I no longer hang my head when I see bloodied depictions of Christ, nor does my being fill with guilt. Instead I see Him as a Son of God, who figured out that He--like all of us--are God's seeds. He too was a believer in spreading the lessons He had learned.

Imagine--just imagine--if every being born completely understood that they too were God's seeds and that ultimately at their core--they believed wholeheartedly in their innate goodness (God-ness).

As a recovering ACoA I am so very grateful that Oprah, as well as many, many other teachers of enlightenment live their lives committed to spreading the Good News.

To all of my adult children of alcoholics, as well as adult children from dysfunctional homes--the good news is--you were NEVER not enough. You were born worthy--even if no one in your experience ever taught you to believe that.

Thank you Oprah, for all you have done for me as a recovering adult--as well as for all you continue to do for humanity today.

Namaste