Is She Serious?!

I am an Oprah freak. I watch as often as I get the chance to and I am totally heartbroken that her show is over. I have laughed at her shows, cried at some, learned some advice, bought recommended books after watching. But, sometimes after watching I have this "I love her, I hate her" feeling about something that aired on the show. Take yesterday's show for example. It was on happiness and how to be happier in your life. Goldie Hawn was a guest and they discussed ways to bring more happiness into your life like having more sex, making the ideal amount of money, taking time for yourself, etc.

She also had polls that she asked the audience. One went a little something like this; "How many of you take time out of your day for complete silence?" I thought complete silence?! It's obvious that Oprah doesn't have any children. I can't even go to the bathroom alone much less make time for complete silence. I'm not even sure that I understand the concept. In my household there is always the pitter patter of little feet, a washer/dryer or both running, the tv on, the dog barking at something, kids arguing, me mumbling something under my breath or "growling". Then I thought about it some more; make time? She speaks of it like it's something easy to do. I can barely find time in my day to take a shower, how can I make time for something I don't even fully understand the meaning of?

Another poll was about sex. How often you 'do it'. They suggested that the happiest people are the ones having more sex. I am so exhausted by the time I go to bed that all I want to do is sleep! Sleep makes me happy! When you have kids, jobs, and a household to maintain I don't grasp the idea of having a lot of sex. When exactly am I suppose to do that? Especially without the kids hearing, because that is something that I am just not ready to explain. Ha.

I got a good chuckle at the info they were trying to pass along such as complete silence and have more sex to be happier. But I became frazzled when they touched on the money issue. Oprah is rich. Her definition of poor and my definition are very different. Some expert on her show said for a family of 4 a yearly income of $75,000 was enough to live happily. Well I must say that we are a family of 5 (soon to be 6) and my husband doesn't even come close to that figure. Of course when that number was threw out there, Oprah's jaw dropped like she just couldn't understand how someone could live happily on a salary such as that. I'm sure 75k is pocket change for her, but not everyone in this world is that fortunate. I like to think we do live happily on the salary we have. We have all our needs met, most of our wants met. So, what exactly am I not understanding? I don't need piles of money to be happy. Sure, it's nice to have but there are far more important things in my life to make me rich and happy. My children are something I could never put a price tag on and the joy they bring into my life is something no amount of money could ever buy.

So, am I the confused one or is Oprah? Maybe she needs to come walk a mile in my shoes so to speak to understand that it doesn't take silence, sex or money to make you happy. It's about finding joy in the small things and being grateful for what you do have not focusing on what you lack.