"THE WORK OF YOUR LIFE IS TO DISCOVER YOUR PURPOSE



                    and get on with the business of living it out!"




I am a huge fan of Oprahs. She is a leader. I think she is genuine, compassionate, I admire her generosity, her humor and her intelligence. Over the years, I have enjoyed reading her column, "What I Know For Sure." And for years I have kept a folder where I keep inspirational and motivational clippings. The other day I was going through some old clippings and found something she wrote in 2003 that I wanted to share, and it ties in well with the previous Siegfried & Roy piece.

"PASSION. I knew the first day I arrived in Chicago to audition for a talk show, that even if I didn't get the job, I'd find a way to live here. There was an energy, a connection, a holy vibe that said, "Yes! This is where you belong!"

"Almost 20 years after I landed here, it's clear the universe had a bigger plan for me than I ever imagined for myself. I did not end up here by chance. When I used to live in Baltimore, I'd walk around with the song "Chicago, Chicago!" in my head. I believe we discover our destinies in the smallest ways. If you pay attention to these clues - to the times you feel the most joyous, most fully engaged, most connected with yourself and others - you'll always be guided to the next place."

"I know for sure that every person in the world has a purpose for being here - a calling. The work of your life is to discover that purpose and get on with the business of living it out. The only courage you need is the courage to find and follow your passion."

"Does what you're doing now feel right? Does it fill you up or leave you drained? Forget what everyone else wants for you. This is not your mothers or your best friends journey. Only you were there for all the significant moments that hold the clues to your calling."

"There's an old gospel song with a refrain I love: I've got fire, fire, fire shut up in my bones. We were all born with this fire, but beginning in childhood, we let others snuff it out. Passion is the log that keeps the fire of purpose blazing. Your work now is to find that fire and rekindle it - and then to let it burn!"