‘Oprah’s Big Give’ inspiring television

A fantastic week for reality TV kicked off Sunday night with Oprah Winfrey’s all new “Oprah’s Big Give” on ABC.

I was a bit skeptical at first, but admit that now I have to watch every week. The contestants weren’t outstanding the first week and no one really impressed me, but the idea of the show is something we all should take a lesson from – it only takes one person to make a difference.

During each one-hour episode, a diverse and competitive group of contestants are challenged to change the lives of complete strangers in creative and dramatic ways. The contestants represent a wide range of the social spectrum and all have their reasons for wanting to give back to society and help change lives.

The judges include “Naked” chef and philanthropist Jamie Oliver, NFL star, nine-time Pro Bowler and Boys & Girls Club Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez, and wife of Chris Rock and charity founder Malaak Compton-Rock.

As the show progresses, contestants must give even bigger until the finale when Oprah will surprise The Biggest Giver with $1 million.

In the end, Oprah has only one rule: Give big or go home.

Although it appears to be easy for Oprah and her seemingly never-ending cash flow to make dreams come true through “The Big Give” contestants, it doesn’t have to be that way. A simple smile, a quick note that lets someone know they’re appreciated, or a few words of encouragement and support can go a long way in brightening someone’s day and making a big difference in a small way.

We all complain and find ourselves rolling our eyes at the things in life that annoy us every day. That’s the easy part, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

It can be just as easy and more rewarding to make someone else feel special. After all, what goes around comes around and my mother always said it’s best to kill your enemies with kindness.

The next time you find yourself upset over the small stuff, stop for a minute and find one thing you can do to reverse the curse and continue your day.

If you need some motivation, check out “Oprah’s Big Give” at 9 p.m. Sundays on ABC.

To learn more about another one of this week’s reality hits, visit the Reality Bytes blog at www.bangordailynews.net. It’s another inspiring show that can teach us all a lesson about what’s important in life.