Timothy Shriver: Fully Alive, Discovering What Matters Most

Oprah's Super Soul

Oprah

Society & Culture

4.6 • 32.9K Ratings

🗓️ 18 April 2018

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Oprah sits down with Timothy Shriver, the impassioned chairman of the Special Olympics and a member of the prominent Kennedy family, to talk about some of the spiritual lessons he's learned from the athletes, how courage and grit are fundamental to success, and why vulnerability is a virtue that everyone can nourish. The son of 1972 Democratic vice presidential candidate Sargent Shriver and Eunice Kennedy Shriver, founder of the Special Olympics in 1968, Timothy grew up among some of the most powerful public and political figures in American history. Yet, he says, it was his Aunt Rose Marie "Rosemary" Kennedy, born with intellectual disabilities, who taught him that self-worth isn't defined by accomplishments. Timothy also discusses his memoir, "Fully Alive: Discovering What Matters Most," in which he shares the story of the remarkable teachers and inspiring way of life he discovered during his search for how to make a difference in the world.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Oprah Winfrey. Welcome to Super Soul Conversations, the podcast. I believe that one of
0:07.5	the most valuable gifts you can give yourself is time, taking time to be more fully present.
0:16.1	Your journey to become more inspired and connected to the deeper world around us starts right
0:23.1	now.
0:24.6	Timothy is the third of Eunice Kennedy and Sergeant Driver's Five Children. His older
0:30.0	sister Maria has been a close friend of mine for over 30 years now. Growing up in the Kennedy
0:34.8	family, his uncles were President Kennedy, Senators Bobby and Ted Kennedy.
0:40.1	Tim felt the pressure to achieve. Get of all of his mother's famous siblings, Tim believes
0:46.4	his aunt Rosemary was perhaps the most extraordinary. Born with an intellectual disability, Tim says
0:53.7	Rosemary's presence in the family changed everything. In 1968, Eunice launched the first
1:01.0	ever Special Olympics at Chicago's Sultra Field. Tim watched his mother change how society views
1:07.6	intellectual disabilities while leading the Special Olympics with grace and grit. In 1996,
1:14.9	Tim carried on her legacy and became President. Tim's mission is to bring service, empathy,
1:20.8	and tenderness to individuals with disabilities around the world. In his recent memoir, Tim writes,
1:28.0	we need to embrace our weaknesses, live without judgment, and redefine what it means to win
1:35.5	in order to feel fully alive.
1:39.1	So tell me how you came to, obviously I've known your family for years. Maria and I became friends
1:45.0	when we were both young reporters in Baltimore. I've been to events at your home, I adored your
1:51.5	parents. And you know, know a little bit about this big life that you lived. How is it that you
2:00.6	come to write something as really profound as discovering what really matters, being fully alive?
2:09.2	Well, I think in some ways, you know, I was programmed to search. I didn't choose it. It shows me,
2:16.7	you know, from the time I can remember I was always wondering. And I think now more recently,
	...

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