My “Oprah” experience can be summed up in one word – Unbelievable!
I could have dreamed of a million different scenarios for me getting a chance to sit on Oprah Winfrey’s
couch. Perhaps, I created a product that she found to be amazing, or that my new book was so relevant and truthful, or maybe my company was helping sick children around the world.
Everyone dreams of being on Oprah, because if you’re on Oprah than you are doing something positive, something worthwhile and you are making a difference. So was I worthy?
I was not on Oprah to highlight anything that I was doing or that I have done, I was simply a part of this show to help tell Stephanie Nielson’s story, a story of strength, love and survival. I believe I was picked to meet Stephanie because I needed to see motherhood through a different lens, one that I had never seen before. I think I was losing focus on what was really important in my life. Often times I am so focused on what will happen NEXT in life, that I am missing significant parts of the life I have NOW.
Before I met Stephanie I put little or no value on being home with my children and quite frankly disrespected the job. After spending a day with Stephanie she made me realize that each day counts and every little moment matters. Being a mother may not always be easy but it is priceless in value.
I didn’t think I could feel successful just staying home, but after seeing how much Stephanie finds value in everything she does for her children, I know I can too. Because what better to be successful at then raising smart, responsible, well rounded children.
Another part of Stephanie’s story that really stuck with me is that she had to say good bye to herself. I just didn’t understand this. I think I’ve considered this every day since meeting her. I found this to be so powerful. If Stephanie was able to say good bye to herself, then what can the rest of us say good bye to? So many of us hold onto things from our past, our relationships, or past situations and life’s struggles. If we could all learn to let go and say good bye to something in our life, how powerful would that be.
When looking at the family picture before the accident Stephanie said “That was my life then and it was beautiful, but this is my life now and it’s still beautiful.” Amazing! If we could all just have her courage and strength.
Stephanie does not know this but I have taken that picture with me, it is so vivid in my mind, and that’s where it will stay. Because when I get to that place where things get tough, or whenever I get caught up in the craziness of life and if I find myself not appreciating all that I have, I’ll close my eyes and remember that picture.
To the Nielson’s and The Oprah Winfrey Show, Thank you for this Gift.
Andrea Fellman
Please visit Stephanie Nielson’s Blog http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/ She has that something we all need!
And here’s a couple related links on Oprah.com:
- Stephanie’s Story, “Mommy Blogger Turned Warrior”:
http://www.oprah.com/article/oprahshow/20090924-tows-stephanie-plane-crash - Watch Stephanie Discuss Her Daily Struggles With Me:
http://www.oprah.com/media/20090924-tows-stephanie-struggle-crash - My Thoughts & Feelings Posted on “Oprah” Producer Leslie’s Blog:
http://www.oprah.com/community/blogs/producerlg/2009/10/07/its-all-worth-it
Be sure to check back, my next post will be the Fun and Sassy side of the story!
Comments
Andrea,
By far, I think the most moving Oprah show I’ve watched. Stephanie is so inspiring and truly a gift to all parents. I’m not going to lie, I LOVE being home with my daughter. But I do take many moments for granted and watching you come to that realization in Stephanie’s presence, made me re-evaluate my life and how blessed I am.
Amy
Andrea – I made it a point to watch Oprah today and I want to thank you (and Stephanie) for sharing your lives with us. Of course, I cried, but the story left me counting my blessings. My kids are grown and I have a great husband now, but I had years of struggling as a single parent. Still, looking back, my struggles were so insignificant compared to what Stephanie has had to overcome. She is an amazing woman, and so are you!
Hi Andrea!
Watching you right now on Oprah. I am so excited for you and Harris. what an amazing experience!
I have been a stay-at-home-mom the entire time raising my kids (now 22 and 19 years old) and have always had a home-based business too. For me it was the best of both worlds. Now that my kids are grown and out of the house, I wish every day I could have those days back when they were little and yes, sometimes driving me crazy while I tried to work. Those were the most precious days of my life.
I admire you for your honesty. I am sure this experience has been a defining, even awakening moment for you! Enjoy those little ones!
Lots of love,
Tracy ‘PowerGal’ Monteforte
Andrea,
I scheduled my day around Oprah’s show today – which isn’t easy to do with a nine month-old – and am so glad that I was able to see your story. I, too, needed a change of perspective about my role of stay-at-home mom, and after seeing your story and Stephanie’s story, I’m better able to appreciate the role that I’m blessed to be able to fill.
Thank you for your boldness and your honesty – today and every day. We’re all blessed because of it.
And WOW. You actually got to meet OPRAH! =D
Blessings on your family,
Jessica
I thought it was great and I was crying with ya !
Andrea — I saw you on Oprah today and it brought tears to my eyes.
It was truly such a touching story!! I appreciated your honesty– I feel the same way many times about the daily grind taking care of my kids, but this story truly has changed my perspective. Thank you!
You did great and it moved me to tears. I will remember it always.
Got an email today from your hubby Harris, and I don’t normally watch TV, but I asked my 86-year-old Mom (who lives with my husband and myself) to alert me when you came on.
She didn’t realize until a bit into the segment that this was the one I was looking for.
I was a single mom for a few years in survival mode (my daughters’ dad, my husband, went to prison twice). I remarried, quit a crazy career in radio advertising, and became a stay-at-home mom with a home business that was quite consuming. I sometimes resented the time my daughters took away from my business but today we have mended whatever fences needed mending (they are 35 and 30 now).
If I had to do it over again, I would cherish every moment But hindsight is always 20-20, isn’t it!
I truly admire what you had to say on the show today. I would imagine a lot of women related with your feelings about motherhood. I certainly could. The great thing is that you finally stopped to smell the roses, as I did!
Both you and Stephanie are amazing women. Thanks to you both for sharing your lives with us.
All my best,
Tricia
Loved seeing you on Oprah!
Good job, and good post about the experience too.
I forgot to record the show, but I read your post, read the show summary and watched the video. I hope I can find a replay of the whole show. It looks like it has a message I really need to hear right now.
Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for reminding us all of the wonderful gift we are given when we become parents.
A little birdie told me that one of her BFF’s was going to be on Oprah, so I set my TIVO. I think that the things that you said took a lot of courage. How very brave of you for putting yourself out there and saying things that a lot of us are thinking. I am not a stay at home mom, but often find myself home after work wishing the kids would just leave me alone. Thanks for the reminder of what is important…my facebook & emails can wait! 🙂
I loved your post about your experience. The thing is that we *do* all have that kind of strength and courage, some of us just under layers of “stuff” so we can’t see it and so we wait for something to happen in our lives (or someone else’s) to remind us of it.
I really honour Stephanie’s journey and that she has chosen to find the gift and power in what has happened to her (and still continues with her daily struggles and epiphanies with it). She seems remarkable. I guess the biggest message of this thread for me is that we don’t need to wait for something big (read: tragic) to happen to us in order for us to stop and re-evaluate what’s really important in the moment so that we can choose to act on that instead of react like we’re just used to doing.
My kids are 2 and 4yrs old too and what I’m realizing is that they need more attention and energy now than they will in a few years time, but it is already so much less than they did last year. That perspective makes it easier for me to see them and their needs underlying their behaviour in the moment, so that I can respond from my heart instead of from the patterns I learned from my parents when I was growing up.
Thank you for sharing this.
As a work-at-home-mom-of-3-boys, I soooo related to your story. Over the summer when I was just beginning my home business, there were days when I was literally in tears trying to juggle boys and business. I was exhausted and overwhelmed.
Thank you for your honesty during the Oprah episode. Busy moms everywhere, I’m sure, hugged you to their heart and sighed a breathe of relief knowing they aren’t the only ones who also feel that way at times. (I know I did!) You spoke for many of us. And, through you, we were able to re-claim the beauty of motherhood.
Andrea,
What an amazing experience for you and thank you for sharing it with the world. Stephanie is a true inspiration.
Andrea,
Just wanted to commend you for your appearance on the Oprah show… You were very well spoken and did an amazing job! That story was a true inspiration and outlook of the daily struggles Stephanie has compared to all of us. I will definitely be looking at the “Daily Routine” a little differently from now on.
Andrea… you said it so powerfully, “I put little or no value on being home with my children and quite frankly disrespected the job”. This statement resonated with me and is dead-on-heavy. I think it is why most of us moms are perpetually seeking self-fulfillment and validation when all the while, as moms, we’re in the midst of the ultimate purpose and meaning–raising God’s “creations”.
Sharing Stephanie’s story through your perspective made it all the more powerful and meaningful! I’m grateful to you and Stephanie for sharing your gifts!
I have a friend who cycles through life as a workaholic, her sole focus being money. From the moment she wakes up in the morning until 10pm at night, she runs by the seat of her pants cramming her days with to-dos that rob her of the fulfillment and connection she craves. It pains me to watch her repeatedly overlooking the beauty of everyday experiences because she is so busy, busy, busy. I encouraged her to Tivo it and make time to watch it. I hope she does, but the truth is she might not. But regardless, I know that others who needed it, saw it and made a change because of your revelations.
Thank you for your vulnerability and openness.
Live Your Dreams,
Jill Koenig
Andrea
Joe and I watched you on Oprah yesterday. It was a very good story. I am proud of your courage. I think maybe you don’t give yourself enough credit. I know you are a great person and one who listens to people when they need to talk. You put a lot into helping others. I am sure you are a great and loving mom, playdough or no playdough!! – Kris
Thank you for being a part of that amazing story, I think moms everywhere need a little reminder sometimes to be present……I know I did. Thank you.
Wow! I watched you and Stephani on the show yesterday.. I thought you did a very touching and honest job! I was crying right along with you. Great Job.
@thenaulutribe
Andrea,
I was in the audience that day. I’ll tell you again that you did a wonderful job – and no Minnesota “Os”! Your posting is very sweet and your sincerity is clear, but I admit I am really anxious to read your next post. The sassy side has got to be very interesting, indeed.
I was also struck by how the broadcast of the show was exactly what we saw in the studio. I expected there would be a second take or maybe something that was edited out, but it was exactly as I remember it.
Congratulations!
Nancy Bjorn Nordeen
Andrea you rock! Thank you so much for sharing Stephanie’s story with us and doing it so honestly! I am so proud of you!
Motherhood is a lot of work, but I’m so glad that you got the opportunity to see it for the blessing it is. I hope that the appreciation for what you have stays with you and enriches your life for all the years ahead.
Wow, I just watched this episode last night. I didnt realize that you had a blog and follow me on Twitter. I am doing a post on her tomorrow because moms need to see this story. I believe that I was meant to see her story yesterday. I received bad news from the docs office and I had been crying all day. Then I see this story and it snapped me right out of it. My news may sound bad but at least I can still hold my kids and go to Yoga. I envy you that you got to spend a day with her and have been personally touched by her motivating spirit. Plus you got to meet my favorite star, Oprah.
Glad you had a great experience,
Lucy
Just wanted to comment again to let you know that I put my post about this story and how if snapped me awake up on my site. Thanks so much for writing Oprah that letter and getting this ball rolling for many women.
Lucy
http://postpartumillness.com/node/166
When you get the tape of the show, you HAVE to share with me!
I don’t watch daytime tv, but sometimes catch Oprah on the late night weekend shows that air.
Which post was the one that sparked the producer to call you??
I have just read through a few posts and am so totally jealous that you met Oprah and Tim Gunn~ Girl, you made it work!!
I also love the look of your travel pages.
{{air hugs, Swirl Girl}}
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Hi Andrea,
Thanks for posting the links. I think it’s so funny that I thought you were one of my Stampin’ Up! peeps in Las Vegas because you looked so darn familiar! I’m glad you posted the links because I wanted to watch the piece again. I was working when I originally watched it, so I didn’t get the full impact of it. It’s amazing to see how difficult it is for her to do the things we do without even thinking about it. I can’t imagine. I’m so glad you got to have that experience. Not just going on Oprah, although that is a once in a lifetime experience, but I can’t believe you could go through an experience like interviewing someone like Nie Nie that wouldn’t change you in a big way. I hope it’s given you a better perspective on your own life. It certainly has mine.
Goodday
awesome post – i’m creating video about it and i will post it to youtube !
if you wana to help or just need a link send me email !
you know, I saw this episode and was so excited to see NieNie tell her story. I remember watching you as she took you through her day. I was in tears at the joy that she had.
I am just now putting two and two together… I see you on twitter all the time and didn’t realize that it was YOU who was on Nie Nie’s story. wow. amazing to be a part of it.
.-= julia´s last blog ..A Birthday Giveaway =-.
I watched you on the Oprah Show. It was wonderful and stirred up so many emotions! This woman’s story is so touching and inspiring. YOU are inspiring. Thank you so much for sharing your truth, your gifts, your journey.