It all started last fall on my way back home to Iowa after an amazing time at the Heritage Makers annual conference. I picked up the August 2007 issue of O, the Oprah magazine, in the Salt Lake City airport to have something to read on the plane. That’s when I read Oprah’s emotional editorial called “What I Know for Sure,” which is a regular column she writes. In this article, she explained how shook up she still was over her dog Gracie’s accidental death earlier that year. I was moved to tears. And not because I’m a pet person…I’m actually allergic to dogs.

But her story made me feel the power of her experience, and most importantly, what she learned from Gracie’s death. Oprah learned to “slow down” in life, something we all could learn. I, too, had to be taught that lesson the hard way in my own personal life last year, so the power of her story moved me to create a tribute storybook for her. I thought Oprah would be able to use the storybook as a reminder to “slow down” in honor of Gracie. I just made her a simple little storybook with her editorial as the story along a few photos of her with the dogs that I was able to find in her magazine issues and on her website from past shows.

At first I wanted to get the storybook to her in time for her birthday, which is a day before mine at the end of January. But I didn’t think sending it to Harpo Studios in Chicago would work so I had what I thought was a brilliant brainstorm…to send it to the famous dog trainer in California that Oprah had used for her puppies. Surely the dog trainer would appreciate the book and know how much Oprah would treasure it and would see that she got it. So I sent the book and a note explaining everything with the expectation that I’d hear back pretty quickly. Nothing came of it.

A few months had gone by with no word. Most people would quit there. But I still felt compelled to try one more time to get this into Oprah’s hands so I boldly sent the book directly to her Chicago empire. Part of me was doubtful it would get to her but I prayed that whoever opened it and read the note would realize the power of it and make sure Oprah saw it. Even so, I already felt relieved that I had at least attempted it so I went on with my life and didn’t give it a lot more thought. I had to get back to being a busy single mom of two young ones, running my Heritage Makers business and moving into a new house over Memorial Day weekend.

In fact, that’s where I was just a few days later…unpacking some groceries on a Wednesday afternoon…5:46pm…when my phone rang. It said “Private Call” on the ID and I answered it but didn’t hear anyone on the line so I hung up and went back to my groceries, figuring it was a telemarketer. A minute later my phone beeped that I had a voicemail so I checked it and got the surprise of my life. It was Oprah Winfrey calling to say thanks for sending her the “Gracie’s Gift” storybook!

I was so stunned! I stood riveted to my kitchen floor. Thankfully I was just holding a loaf of bread at the time and it fell to the floor at my feet while I listened to that famous voice say how thankful she was for the “lovely, lovely book” and how it was “such a treasure.” She talked about how she had gotten the book just in time to honor the one-year anniversary of Gracie’s death and said she’d read it on that day as a memorial to Gracie.

She goes on to say that she loves the idea of everyone having a story and she even quotes what it says on our book’s gift sleeve…“’every story deserves a book of its own,’ you know I believe in that!”

After hearing her minute-long message, I was scared to death that I was going to hit the wrong button and delete the proof that she really did call me, so I carefully hit the save button and then screamed, jumped up and down, and called my family and friends with the unbelievable news.

At first I was disappointed I didn’t get to talk to her but then realized that I probably would have either been speechless or just rambled on nonstop. Plus, I wouldn’t have been able to remember exactly what she said. Now that I have her voicemail recorded forever, I can never forget this memorable thank-you. It certainly proves the power of storybooking!