My Oprah Moment
By Alicia Ybarbo
Mary Ann and I were psyched to host our first TODAY’S MOMS press event at the Miraval Resort in Tucson, Arizona. I didn’t know much about Miraval prior to our trip, but it’s had thousands of visitors. One of the biggest names to ever visit the resort… Oprah. Several women we met shared with us how they came to Miraval after watching Oprah’s trip a few years ago, and most came to find one thing: their Oprah Moment.
An Oprah moment (by my definition) is, basically, being in the moment. Finding some truth – and humor – to this crazy world we live in. Miraval is made up of “simple pleasures and extraordinary experiences,” like spa treatments, meditation courses and cooking classes, but it also provides physical challenges for those who want a little adventure to complement their soul-seeking. Oprah’s challenge was called, “Swing and a Prayer,” and I got mine from a similar obstacle.
Mary Ann and I signed up for a challenge called “Quantum Leap II” where two people step off a 3×2 wooden platform that’s perched atop an upright telephone pole – 35 feet above ground – attached to a climbing rope. Are you kidding me? The challenge for us was to metaphorically step in to the “unknown”… to live a little outside our comfort zone. After a few seconds of “what the hell are we doing here?” we did it. Mission accomplished!
After the challenge, my Oprah moment came while listening to a woman share how – all her life– she’d put the needs of others in front of her own. (It wasn’t until 35 feet above ground she realized she needed to move her name to the top of her shortlist.) As she started to cry so did I, as I realized she was talking about something that described my very being. We women, (moms, sisters, aunties, grandmothers) do everything for everyone. We prepare snacks for classroom parties and volunteer to perform school lice-checks (don’t ask). We’re there to make sure our homes have an endless supply of paper towels and teepee, while making sure there are veggies on every plate at every meal… all while managing a household or working outside the home. I promised myself, that every time I felt overwhelmed or out of control with the amount that I have piled on my to-do list, that I would think of my time on the platform, and how, with a deep breath and clear focus, I was able to jump into the unknown… and relish it.
Todays Moms's Blog 