GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER: THE FIVE PEOPLE FROM HISTORY

I was asked the somewhat cliché question:  “If you could have dinner with five people from history, who would they be and why?” I’m going to tackle this topic, but to make the question less cliché, I’m going to put my own spin on the question.  So, the question now becomes:

You are given the opportunity to have dinner with any five people from history, living or dead, who would they be, why have you chosen them and what one question would you ask them and how do you think their answer would change your life?

The Dinner Guests:  

Oprah Winfrey, Dolly Parton, Anderson Cooper, Mother Teresa and Princess Diana.

I have chosen these five individuals because they are all strong individuals and each has left an indelible mark on the world.

Oprah Winfrey: I believe that Oprah Winfrey is a name synonymic with power.  Yet, she came from nothing to become of the most wealthy and widely recognizable individuals in the world, building a multi-media empire.  I have chosen her because she is a true example of someone who has taken her success and used it to make the world a better place.   My question for Oprah would be “How do you keep from letting what other people think about you from being none of your business?”  I would ask this because I believe she possesses and aura of self-assurance, perseverance and strength.  I think her answer would give me insight how to be more secure in my own self.

Dolly Parton:  Every interview I’ve ever heard with Dolly Parton has proven her to be one of the most down-to-earth individuals, while also being among one of the most successful individuals.   She is a woman of strong faith, determination and gives the impression that if you bumped into her in the grocery store that she would stand in the aisle and chat for an hour or so like she’s known you your entire life, which I believe is a product of her humble upbringing in the hills of the Smokey Mountains.    My question for Dolly would be: “How do you continually reinvent yourself while never allowing your integrity to take a hit?”  Her answer, I believe would teach me about perspective, perseverance and character. 

Anderson Cooper:  Not only is Anderson Cooper an incredibly attractive gay man, he is also a highly successful journalist and talk show host.   While Anderson came from a family of great wealth, he is successful in his own right.  He is a tough journalist, but at the very core has a heart of deep compassion.  My question for Anderson would be: “How do you find calm in a chaotic world—having been on the front lines of disasters, wars as well as peace?”  I’m always searching for ways to rest, to find peace, and believe that he may have some incredible insight into dealing with chaos.

Mother Teresa:  One of the most highly visible religious icons of the 20^th Century, she lived her simple life and made an impact on the world through her writings and humanitarian work.   She is storied to have experienced a “dark night of the soul” where her faith was in doubt.   My question to Blessed Mother Teresa would be: “How were you able to find your faith to sustain you in the darkest hours of your life?” I would like to know that because my ideas of faith are almost always going through peaks and valleys, and I believe her to have been humble and honest.

Princess Diana-“The People’s Princess”.   She, much like Dolly Parton and Oprah Winfrey, always seemed approachable, humble and down-to-earth, despite being popular.   She was an amazingly beautiful woman, who rolled up her sleeves and went where angels, and most certainly “Royals” feared to trod.  She was seen on the front lines loving those suffering from AIDS and was probably one of the greatest humanitarians who ever lived.  My question for the late Princess would be “What is it like to have everything in the world one could ever want, and yet, humble yourself and become a servant?”   I admit that were I her, I am not sure that I would be able to do it.  Her love of people was simply is something I find admirable.

Here’s my confession:  These five individuals all possess unique qualities, yet are all very similar.  They are all people who have used their popularity for good.   They all have something in their lives that I often wish that I, being sometimes selfish and self-centered, from which I could grow and become a better person.