教育专题：奥普拉-斯坦福大学08毕业典礼演讲

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1、奥普拉在斯坦福大学2008毕业典礼上的演讲中英文对照Thank you, President Hennessy, and to thetrustees and the faculty, to all of the parents and grandparents, to you, the Stanford graduates. Thank you for letting me share this amazing day with you.I need to begin by letting everyone in on a little secret. The secret is that

2、Kirby Bumpus, Stanford Class of 08, is my goddaughter. So, I was thrilled when President Hennessy asked me to be your Commencement speaker, because this is the first time Ive been allowed on campus since Kirbys been here.You see, Kirbys a very smart girl. She wants people to get to know her on her o

3、wn terms, she says. Not in terms of who she knows. So, she never wants anyone whos first meeting her to know that I know her and she knows me. So, when she first came to Stanford for new student orientation with her mom, I hear that they arrived and everybody was so welcoming, and somebody came up t

4、o Kirby and they said, Ohmigod, thats Gayle King! Because a lot of people know Gayle King as my BFF best friend forever.And so somebody comes up to Kirby, and they say, Ohmigod, is that Gayle King? And Kirbys like, Uh-huh. Shes my mom.And so the person says, Ohmigod, does it mean, like, you know Opr

5、ah Winfrey?And Kirby says, Sort of.I said, Sort of? You sort of know me? Well, I have photographic proof. I have pictures which I can e-mail to you all of Kirby riding horsey with me on all fours. So, I more than sort-of know Kirby Bumpus. And Im so happy to be here, just happy that I finally, after

6、 four years, get to see her room. Theres really nowhere else Id rather be, because Im so proud of Kirby, who graduates today with two degrees, one in human bio and the other in psychology. Love you, Kirby Cakes! Thats how well I know her. I can call her Cakes.And so proud of her mother and father, w

7、ho helped her get through this time, and her brother, Will. I really had nothing to do with her graduating from Stanford, but every time anybodys asked me in the past couple of weeks what I was doing, I would say, Im getting ready to go to Stanford.I just love saying Stanford. Because the truth is,

8、I know I would have never gotten my degree at all, cause I didnt go to Stanford. I went to Tennessee State University. But I never would have gotten my diploma at all, because I was supposed to graduate back in 1975, but I was short one credit. And I figured, Im just going to forget it, cause, you k

9、now, Im not going to march with my class. Because by that point, I was already on television. Id been in television since I was 19 and a sophomore. Granted, I was the only television anchor person that had an 11 oclock curfew doing the 10 oclock news.Seriously, my dad was like, Well, that news is ov

10、er at 10:30. Be home by 11.But that didnt matter to me, because I was earning a living. I was on my way. So, I thought, Im going to let this college thing go and I only had one credit short. But, my father, from that time on and for years after, was always on my case, because I did not graduate. Hed

11、 say, Oprah Gailthats my middle nameI dont know what youre gonna do without that degree. And Id say, But, Dad, I have my own television show.And hed say, Well, I still dont know what youre going to do without that degree.And Id say, But, Dad, now Im a talk show host. Hed say, I dont know how youre g

12、oing to get another job without that degree.So, in 1987, Tennessee State University invited me back to speak at their commencement. By then, I had my own show, was nationally syndicated. Id made a movie, had been nominated for an Oscar and founded my company, Harpo. But I told them, I cannot come an

13、d give a speech unless I can earn one more credit, because my dads still saying Im not going to get anywhere without that degree.So, I finished my coursework, I turned in my final paper and I got the degree.And my dad was very proud. And I know that, if anything happens, that one credit will be my s

14、alvation.But I also know why my dad was insisting on that diploma, because, as B. B. King put it, The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take that away from you. And learning is really in the broadest sense what I want to talk about today, because your education, of course, isnt endin

15、g here. In many ways, its only just begun.The world has so many lessons to teach you. I consider the world, this Earth, to be like a school and our life the classrooms. And sometimes here in this Planet Earth school the lessons often come dressed up as detours or roadblocks. And sometimes as full-bl

16、own crises. And the secret Ive learned to getting ahead is being open to the lessons, lessons from the grandest university of all, that is, the universe itself.Its being able to walk through life eager and open to self-improvement and that which is going to best help you evolve, cause thats really w

17、hy were here, to evolve as human beings. To grow into more of ourselves, always moving to the next level of understanding, the next level of compassion and growth.I think about one of the greatest compliments Ive ever received: I interviewed with a reporter when I was first starting out in Chicago.

18、And then many years later, I saw the same reporter. And she said to me, You know what? You really havent changed. Youve just become more of yourself.And that is really what were all trying to do, become more of ourselves. And I believe that theres a lesson in almost everything that you do and every

19、experience, and getting the lesson is how you move forward. Its how you enrich your spirit. And, trust me, I know that inner wisdom is more precious than wealth. The more you spend it, the more you gain.So, today, I just want to share a few lessonsmeaning threethat Ive learned in my journey so far.

20、And arent you glad? Dont you hate it when somebody says, Im going to share a few, and its 10 lessons later? And, youre like, Listen, this is my graduation. This is not about you. So, its only going to be three.The three lessons that have had the greatest impact on my life have to do with feelings, w

21、ith failure and with finding happiness.A year after I left college, I was given the opportunity to co-anchor the 6 oclock news in Baltimore, because the whole goal in the media at the time I was coming up was you try to move to larger markets. And Baltimore was a much larger market than Nashville. S

22、o, getting the 6 oclock news co-anchor job at 22 was such a big deal. It felt like the biggest deal in the world at the time.And I was so proud, because I was finally going to have my chance to be like Barbara Walters, which is who I had been trying to emulate since the start of my TV career. So, I

23、was 22 years old, making $22,000 a year. And its where I met my best friend, Gayle, who was an intern at the same TV station. And once we became friends, wed say, Ohmigod, I cant believe it! Youre making $22,000 and youre only 22. Imagine when youre 40 and youre making $40,000!When I turned 40, I wa

24、s so glad that didnt happen.So, here I am, 22, making $22,000 a year and, yet, it didnt feel right. It didnt feel right. The first sign, as President Hennessy was saying, was when they tried to change my name. The news director said to me at the time, Nobodys going to remember Oprah. So, we want to

25、change your name. Weve come up with a name we think that people will remember and people will like. Its a friendly name: Suzie.Hi, Suzie. Very friendly. You cant be angry with Suzie. Remember Suzie. But my name wasnt Suzie. And, you know, Id grown up not really loving my name, because when youre loo

26、king for your little name on the lunch boxes and the license plate tags, youre never going to find Oprah.So, I grew up not loving the name, but once I was asked to change it, I thought, well, it is my name and do I look like a Suzie to you? So, I thought, no, it doesnt feel right. Im not going to ch

27、ange my name. And if people remember it or not, thats OK.And then they said they didnt like the way I looked. This was in 1976, when your boss could call you in and say, I dont like the way you look. Now that would be called a lawsuit, but back then they could just say, I dont like the way you look.

28、 Which, in case some of you in the back, if you cant tell, is nothing like Barbara Walters. So, they sent me to a salon where they gave me a perm, and after a few days all my hair fell out and I had to shave my head. And then they really didnt like the way I looked.Because now I am black and bald an

29、d sitting on TV. Not a pretty picture.But even worse than being bald, I really hated, hated, hated being sent to report on other peoples tragedies as a part of my daily duty, knowing that I was just expected to observe, when everything in my instinct told me that I should be doing something, I shoul

30、d be lending a hand.So, as President Hennessy said, Id cover a fire and then Id go back and Id try to give the victims blankets. And I wouldnt be able to sleep at night because of all the things I was covering during the day.And, meanwhile, I was trying to sit gracefully like Barbara and make myself

31、 talk like Barbara. And I thought, well, I could make a pretty goofy Barbara. And if I could figure out how to be myself, I could be a pretty good Oprah. I was trying to sound elegant like Barbara. And sometimes I didnt read my copy, because something inside me said, this should be spontaneous. So,

32、I wanted to get the news as I was giving it to the people. So, sometimes, I wouldnt read my copy and it would be, like, six people on a pileup on I-40. Oh, my goodness.And sometimes I wouldnt read the copybecause I wanted to be spontaneousand Id come across a list of words I didnt know and Id mispro

33、nounce. And one day I was reading copy and I called Canada ca nada. And I decided, this Barbara things not going too well. I should try being myself.But at the same time, my dad was saying, Oprah Gail, this is an opportunity of a lifetime. You better keep that job. And my boss was saying, This is th

34、e nightly news. Youre an anchor, not a social worker. Just do your job.So, I was juggling these messages of expectation and obligation and feeling really miserable with myself. Id go home at night and fill up my journals, cause Ive kept a journal since I was 15so I now have volumes of journals. So,

35、Id go home at night and fill up my journals about how miserable I was and frustrated. Then Id eat my anxiety. Thats where I learned that habit.And after eight months, I lost that job. They said I was too emotional. I was too much. But since they didnt want to pay out the contract, they put me on a t

36、alk show in Baltimore. And the moment I sat down on that show, the moment I did, I felt like Id come home. I realized that TV could be more than just a playground, but a platform for service, for helping other people lift their lives. And the moment I sat down, doing that talk show, it felt like bre

37、athing. It felt right. And thats where everything that followed for me began.And I got that lesson. When youre doing the work youre meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus, regardless of what youre getting paid.Its true. And how do you know when youre doing something right? How do you k

38、now that? It feels so. What I know now is that feelings are really your GPS system for life. When youre supposed to do something or not supposed to do something, your emotional guidance system lets you know. The trick is to learn to check your ego at the door and start checking your gut instead. Eve

39、ry right decision Ive madeevery right decision Ive ever madehas come from my gut. And every wrong decision Ive ever made was a result of me not listening to the greater voice of myself.If it doesnt feel right, dont do it. Thats the lesson. And that lesson alone will save you, my friends, a lot of gr

40、ief. Even doubt means dont. This is what Ive learned. There are many times when you dont know what to do. When you dont know what to do, get still, get very still, until you do know what to do.And when you do get still and let your internal motivation be the driver, not only will your personal life

41、improve, but you will gain a competitive edge in the working world as well. Because, as Daniel Pink writes in his best-seller, A Whole New Mind, were entering a whole new age. And he calls it the Conceptual Age, where traits that set people apart today are going to come from our heartsright brainas

42、well as our heads. Its no longer just the logical, linear, rules-based thinking that matters, he says. Its also empathy and joyfulness and purpose, inner traits that have transcendent worth.These qualities bloom when were doing what we love, when were involving the wholeness of ourselves in our work

43、, both our expertise and our emotion.So, I say to you, forget about the fast lane. If you really want to fly, just harness your power to your passion. Honor your calling. Everybody has one. Trust your heart and success will come to you.So, how do I define success? Let me tell you, moneys pretty nice

44、. Im not going to stand up here and tell you that its not about money, cause money is very nice. I like money. Its good for buying things.But having a lot of money does not automatically make you a successful person. What you want is money and meaning. You want your work to be meaningful. Because me

45、aning is what brings the real richness to your life. What you really want is to be surrounded by people you trust and treasure and by people who cherish you. Thats when youre really rich.So, lesson one, follow your feelings. If it feels right, move forward. If it doesnt feel right, dont do it.Now I

46、want to talk a little bit about failings, because nobodys journey is seamless or smooth. We all stumble. We all have setbacks. If things go wrong, you hit a dead endas you willits just lifes way of saying time to change course. So, ask every failurethis is what I do with every failure, every crisis,

47、 every difficult timeI say, what is this here to teach me? And as soon as you get the lesson, you get to move on. If you really get the lesson, you pass and you dont have to repeat the class. If you dont get the lesson, it shows up wearing another pair of pantsor skirtto give you some remedial work.

48、And what Ive found is that difficulties come when you dont pay attention to lifes whisper, because life always whispers to you first. And if you ignore the whisper, sooner or later youll get a scream. Whatever you resist persists. But, if you ask the right questionnot why is this happening, but what

49、 is this here to teach me?it puts you in the place and space to get the lesson you need.My friend Eckhart Tolle, whos written this wonderful book called A New Earth thats all about letting the awareness of who you are stimulate everything that you do, he puts it like this: He says, dont react agains

50、t a bad situation; merge with that situation instead. And the solution will arise from the challenge. Because surrendering yourself doesnt mean giving up; it means acting with responsibility.Many of you know that, as President Hennessy said, I started this school in Africa. And I founded the school,

51、 where Im trying to give South African girls a shot at a future like yoursStanford. And I spent five years making sure that school would be as beautiful as the students. I wanted every girl to feel her worth reflected in her surroundings. So, I checked every blueprint, I picked every pillow. I was l

52、ooking at the grout in between the bricks. I knew every thread count of the sheets. I chose every girl from the villages, from nine provinces. And yet, last fall, I was faced with a crisis I had never anticipated. I was told that one of the dorm matrons was suspected of sexual abuse.That was, as you

53、 can imagine, devastating news. First, I criedactually, I sobbedfor about half an hour. And then I said, lets get to it; thats all you get, a half an hour. You need to focus on the now, what you need to do now. So, I contacted a child trauma specialist. I put together a team of investigators. I made

54、 sure the girls had counseling and support. And Gayle and I got on a plane and flew to South Africa.And the whole time I kept asking that question: What is this here to teach me? And, as difficult as that experience has been, I got a lot of lessons. I understand now the mistakes I made, because I ha

55、d been paying attention to all of the wrong things. Id built that school from the outside in, when what really mattered was the inside out.So, its a lesson that applies to all of our lives as a whole. What matters most is whats inside. What matters most is the sense of integrity, of quality and beau

56、ty. I got that lesson. And what I know is that the girls came away with something, too. They have emerged from this more resilient and knowing that their voices have power.And their resilience and spirit have given me more than I could ever give to them, which leads me to my final lessonthe one abou

57、t finding happinesswhich we could talk about all day, but I know you have other wacky things to do.Not a small topic this is, finding happiness. But in some ways I think its the simplest of all. Gwendolyn Brooks wrote a poem for her children. Its called Speech to the Young : Speech to the Progress-T

58、oward. And she says at the end, Live not for battles won. / Live not for the-end-of-the-song. / Live in the along. Shes saying, like Eckhart Tolle, that you have to live for the present. You have to be in the moment. Whatever has happened to you in your past has no power over this present moment, be

59、cause life is now.But I think shes also saying, be a part of something. Dont live for yourself alone. This is what I know for sure: In order to be truly happy, you must live along with and you have to stand for something larger than yourself. Because life is a reciprocal exchange. To move forward yo

60、u have to give back. And to me, that is the greatest lesson of life. To be happy, you have to give something back.I know you know that, because thats a lesson thats woven into the very fabric of this university. Its a lesson that Jane and Leland Stanford got and one theyve bequeathed to you. Because

61、 all of you know the story of how this great school came to be, how the Stanfords lost their only child to typhoid at the age of 15. They had every right and they had every reason to turn their backs against the world at that time, but instead, they channeled their grief and their pain into an act o

62、f grace. Within a year of their sons death, they had made the founding grant for this great school, pledging to do for other peoples children what they were not able to do for their own boy.The lesson here is clear, and that is, if youre hurting, you need to help somebody ease their hurt. If youre i

63、n pain, help somebody elses pain. And when youre in a mess, you get yourself out of the mess helping somebody out of theirs. And in the process, you get to become a member of what I call the greatest fellowship of all, the sorority of compassion and the fraternity of service.The Stanfords had suffer

64、ed the worst thing any mom and dad can ever endure, yet they understood that helping others is the way we help ourselves. And this wisdom is increasingly supported by scientific and sociological research. Its no longer just woo-woo soft-skills talk. Theres actually a helpers high, a spiritual surge

65、you gain from serving others. So, if you want to feel good, you have to go out and do some good.But when you do good, I hope you strive for more than just the good feeling that service provides, because I know this for sure, that doing good actually makes you better. So, whatever field you choose, if you operate from the paradigm of service, I know your life will have more value and you will be happy.I was always