Leaving a Legacy in Waukesha

Something I think about a lot is what it means to leave a legacy.  This past Wednesday, Oprah hosted her final talk show.  Up until Wednesday, her show aired every day on Milwaukee’s Channel 12 WISN TV.  This was a program that I didn’t watch a lot.

I always thought that the show was primarily for women.  Many of us may remember that her theme song for several seasons was I’m Every Woman. When she chose that song as her theme several years ago, it really turned me off to watching her.

Recently, I have had a renewed since of interest in the show because my friends Dino, Deb and I enjoy the show at Coffee and Beans in downtown Waukesha. You have to admit that there are some parts of the show that are really inspiring. There are many segments that are self-help or segments on health from our good friend Dr. Oz. Many reunions also take place on the show, including when Oprah met her half-sister.

I met Oprah’s half-sister, Patricia, as she introduced herself to me on Wednesday at Pat’s Rib Place.  Oprah’s niece, Alisha, and her husband Titus own the restaurant on East Sunset Drive in Waukesha.  It makes sense that Pat’s aired the last Oprah show in their restaurant. The house was packed.

That day was Alisha’s day. We all heard her aunt Oprah say things like “we all have a platform,” and “follow your heart.”  Pat’s Rib Place informed its Facebook followers to “bring lots of tissue” to the event.

As I reflect on Oprah’s legacy, it reminds me much of my own path that I wish to follow. I, too, someday would like to host a TV or radio talk show and maybe, just maybe, inspire people in some way. Oprah made it very clear that we need to start where we are in, what some call, our own “sphere of influence.” 

As Oprah has, I, too, have met people with inspiring stories and I would like to give voice to those.  I don’t know what Oprah is like outside of her talk show.  I imagine she spends a lot of her time volunteering, but that’s just a guess. She simply sounded like someone who has seen a lot and is very wise.

All this talk about legacies makes me think about Memorial Day, just celebrated on Monday. Our soldiers definitely knew their purpose. They lived and died for the sake of freedom. I meet a lot of people who I find out through making conversation that they’ve served our country in a branch of the military, and I always thank them for their service.  What kind of legacy do you want to leave on the world?