My Oprah Adventure.

I wanted some adventure.  Really, I think I knew that I needed some.  Because before I even had a chance to think twice, I found myself on a New Jersey Transit train bound for Newark to try and see Oprah's "Life You Want" Weekend tour.

Did I have a ticket?  No.  Did I even know if there were any left?  Not so much.  Meh, minor details.  In my mind I figured that if I was meant to get in, somehow, it would all just come together.

Say it with me: Adventure!

Many have probably said this before.  Many have even gone to see her live, contributed to her Angel Network or still want to know what her "Favorite Things" are.  But allow me to go on the record and say:  I pretty much love Oprah.

I mean, let's be honest:  The woman is a force of nature who attracts people to her no matter what she does.  Another part of her magic?  She actually uses that power for good.  And all of this is really, really great and makes her a truly wonderful human being.  But truth be told, my admiration for Oprah Winfrey has always been a bit more personal than all of that.  Sure, it might have started because we both have "O" names and are both outspoken Aquarians--yeah, we're practically BFFs because of this--but it has endured because of much more.

Growing up, I always had a strong female (my Mom) whispering good ideas in my ear, always encouraging me to do big things and aim for big goals.  With her, nothing was impossible.  Day in and day out, there was that voice, always filled with positivity and a deeper meaning.  Sometimes it was about something as simple as believing I could do well in my dance class that day.  Other times, it was as profound as being told that I was worthy of being treated well and that I had real value.  Whatever it was, it was always quite powerful for a little girl to hear.  And with that kind of constant encouragement, it was simply all I knew.

Then one day I started watching Oprah.  And there it was again: another strong female, another voice of encouragement whispering in my ear and about so many different things.  She was so unique from everything else on TV at the time yet she was so much like what I had been hearing all along.  She was positive and talking about things that mattered.  Immediately, I was hooked!  Often she would be on in the background as I did my homework, the supportive and upbeat soundtrack of my 8th grade afternoons.  Other times I would catch her in between classes in college, as I was curled up in my lofted bed in Sullivan Hall at Villanova, wondering, thanks to her prompt, "ARE men really from Mars?"  Still later, I would watch her in my late twenties, eager to glean some more good ideas and to yet again hear more from that encouraging voice who insisted, like my own mother always had, that anything was possible.

So for me, Oprah had always been less "talk show host" and more "mentor-from-afar", just sharing what she knew.  And as her insights grew so did I, listening and learning from what she had to say.

When I learned she was going to be practically around the corner from me, I knew I had to try and see her in person.  I knew that anything was possible and I should try to get in.

I arrived at the venue and groups of women milled around as they checked in, their bright totes from the tour tent further pulling me in to the scene.  After quickly locating the ticket office, I stepped up to the window.

Here goes nothing, I thought.

"I'd like one of your $99 tickets, please."  (I had at least done a little bit of research.)

"Ohhh," the Oprah associate started, "I would really love to give you one of those, honey, but unfortunately they sold out in the first 30 minutes they were on sale, three months ago."  He smiled at me kindly.

And this is where my plan met a speed bump.  I figured I could handle a $99 ticket.  But the other tiers of tickets, from what I could remember, seemed a bit higher than I had hoped.

"Aw, really?  Hmmm...ok."  Surprised but not out yet, I continued.  "Well, what is the next step up, then?"  I would not be deterred. 

"The next step is the $199 tickets."  I gulped.

"Yeesh," I exhaled.  I looked at him.  "I mean, I love me some Oprah but I'm not sure I LOVE ME SOME OPRAH."

"C'mon," he laughed and cheerily countered, "I think you'll really enjoy it!  I paid that much to see Aerosmith once and it was totally worth it."  He was less "hard-sell" and more, it appeared, just genuinely wanting me to have the experience.

"Uh, I need to think about it."  I stepped out of line, texted with my sister and started to question myself: just how bad did I want to go?  Ultimately my sister and I agreed: I was already there, $199 wasn't really that much and it could be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of thing.  I stepped back in line.

Soon after, a woman stepped in line behind me.  I noticed that she was already holding her tickets so I tried to make friendly conversation.  It was just that kind of an atmosphere, it being about 99% Oprah-watching females.  (The other 1%, consequently, seemed to be their supportive husbands and gay men).

"Oh, you already have your tickets?"  I smiled.

"Yes," she replied in a huff.  "I have the V.I.P. tickets and so far they are NOT treating me like a V.I.P."

"Oh." This was not her day, I guess. "Well, I'm sure that you'll be treated like a V.I.P. real soon."

I know.  It was a bit condescending.  And I'm not proud of it.  But the whole situation was making me giggle.

"I mean," she continued, "I paid $600 each for these tickets."

Come again?  Just to clarify, she had two tickets.  So she meant she had spent $1,200 total.  Again, I  lovvve me some Oprah but that seemed a bit ridiculous. 

We exchanged a few more words but when I realized her energy (that being angry-irrational-impatient) was a bit different than my own (hopeful-excited-open) I let the conversation die.

Suddenly a venue staff member wheeled someone up in a wheelchair to our window and asked whether I would mind if she spoke to the ticket office.  I told her I had no problem with that.  She had to find out the right place for the woman in the wheelchair to sit inside the venue.  She conferred with Aerosmith lover and I continued to get excited, happy with my choice to attend.  When another venue staff member came up to our window seeking assistance with someone else who had special needs, I started to feel the heat seething from V.I.P. behind me.  I turned around and sure enough, she was glaring at me.  I wasn't going to get into it. 

Both staff members and Aerosmith continued to touch base until V.I.P. Lost. Her. Mind.

"Why are you HERE?" she yelled towards the staff members.  "Why are you taking so LONG?  You are taking TOO LONG.  This is RIDICULOUS!"

All I thought was, if this is the "Life You Want" weekend, this is definitely not the person I want to hang out with nor the behavior I want to be around.  I mean, would Ms. Winfrey agree with this kind of spectacle?  I think not.

I stood there, not buying into the madness.  I wanted adventure not chaos.  The whole contingent finished up their business briefly thereafter and soon enough I was swiping my credit card and happily buying my ticket.  I was in!

I headed up.  And up.  And up.  Yes, when I finally got to my seat, I sat down and started laughing right out loud.  Because just three rows behind me I could stand up tall and touch the very roof of the Prudential Center.  I was just about to get up and actually give it a try when I heard a friendly voice approaching.

"Hey, mind if I sit with you?"

I looked up to see an attractive female walking up the steps towards me.

"Not at all.  Come sit."  Again, it was just that kind of atmosphere where everyone was nice and happy to meet new people.

"Are you here by yourself?" she asked.

"I am."

After a moment of looking around she said, "These seats are ok but...do you think we can move up?"

"I don't know," I answered.  "I think it is close to sold out.  I'm not sure we can."

"Well," she reached into her pocket, "I have this extra ticket.  Do you want it?"

I looked at her.  Who has an extra ticket to see Oprah?  She started to get up and walk away and as she did, a couple of other women started to approach her.  I looked at the ticket.  I was in the nosebleeds and the new ticket was for many, many sections down, almost on the floor of the venue.  What was happening?

Once she was done speaking to the women I asked her, "Uh, are you sure about this?"

"Yes," she said quickly and smiled a big smile.

"But why?" I asked, still totally confused.

"Because good things happen."  And then she smiled even bigger.

Dumbfounded, I thanked her repeatedly and she was off.

I made my way down to my awesome new seat (both tickets pictured above) and met two other women who looked just as happily dazed as I was.  Turns out, they had come in contact with the "ticket fairy", too.  We were all smiles.  I had found a couple of kindred spirits after all and a wave of gratitude washed over me.

I sat there in awe and listened to the familiar voice from so many of my afternoons.  I hung on every word.  I took notes.  And I gleaned even more wisdom from Oprah, my mentor-from-afar that was now not far at all.  I had wanted an adventure and I had definitely gotten one.  I was right.  It truly was a once-in-a-lifetime sort of thing.   

I learned so much from my Oprah adventure.  But the biggest lesson?  If you ever feel like you need a little adventure, go find some.  It is there for the taking!  And if you ever feel like you are figuratively (or literally, in my case) in the nosebleed section, keep the faith and let my experience remind you: Good things happen.  Out of nowhere.  And often when you least expect it.