I'm Oprah Winfrey. Welcome to Super Soul Conversations, the podcast. I believe that one of the most

valuable gifts you can give yourself is time. Taking time to be more fully present. Your journey

to become more inspired and connected to the deeper world around us starts right now.

On Christmas 2011, Madonna Badger lost all three of her children and both her parents

in an early morning fire, nine-year-old Lily, seven-year-old twin Sarah and Grace, and her parents, Pauline

and Lomer, all perished. The hours before the fire were a picture-perfect Christmas Eve scene.

The girls decorated the house. Madonna's mom baked apple pie, while her dad returned from

his dream job playing Santa Claus at a New York department store.

I've thought about Madonna a lot since that fire.

I've held her in my prayers and wished her strength and love.

Super Solars, what Madonna has done in the face of unimaginable grief and pain will elevate our souls today.

As I sit down with her the day before her 50th birthday,

I meet a true spiritual teacher who has discovered that opening herself up to love

is the path that brings her closest to her three girls and her parents.

Madonna also shares her belief that death was not the end of their relationship, but a new

beginning.

I have thought about you so many times over the past couple of years.

I think about you and I think about your family.

And I think about how you're doing, how you manage to get out of bed, and then you did the TED Talk and answered all of those questions.

So really it's a privilege to have you here because I see you as a true spiritual teacher who had to, in the midst of the greatest storm of life, when everything is fallen apart,

learn how to walk the walk.

Would you say you're still learning?

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