“Who in the room would like to trade places with Oprah?” When I was first asked this question, my hand flew up so fast that I hit myself in the head. Not only did my hand go up but most of the other hands in the room did as well. The next question stunned everyone and made us sink low into our chairs. The question was “Would you consent to be molested and raped as a child?”
You could hear a pin drop in the room.
Oprah’s life seemingly is one that many covet but few acquire. She currently holds the title of being "the most influential woman in the world". The rest of her resume is equally impressive:
- American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, network owner, and philanthropist
- Host of the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011
- Ranked the richest African-American of the 20th century
- The greatest black philanthropist in American history
- For a time the world's only black billionaire
- According to Forbes magazine, her current net worth is $2.7 billion
Rewind her life back to 1954:
- Was born to an unmarried, teenage mother
- Spent her first six years living in rural poverty and wore potato sacks for clothes
- Molested and raped by her uncle, a cousin, and a family friend
- Ran away from home at age 13 and became pregnant at age 14
- Gave birth to a son who died at birth
- Made a choice to never have more children because she doubted that she could be a good mother because of how she was raised
Success can sometimes have devastating costs. I admire all that Oprah has accomplished in her life. She has had her share of adversity and misery but she was able to make her roadblocks into stepping stones. What we see is the person she’s become. There's no doubt that she gave up a lot to get where she is. So the next time you consciously (or unconsciously) wish for another’s success, consider the price they paid to get it.
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