I’ve saved all of Oprah’s last 25 shows. Yesterday, I was watching one titled “Oprah’s Greatest Lessons.” On it, she had snippets of different interviews she’d done over the years that had greatly impacted her.

I was particularly moved when she shared a conversation she’d had with Maya Angelou (sitting in Maya’s big brass bed), where Oprah was laughing about the time she was locked in her bathroom, calling Maya Angelou, in tears.

Yes! Even Oprah cries in the bathroom and calls a friend for advice!

Maya’s advice was to say, “Thank you!”

Maya explained by saying: “The ability to say thank you in a crisis means your faith is so strong that nothing can come against it. Nothing! Not princes, not paupers, not principalities. Nothing!”

She then followed up by telling Oprah, “…. and once you’ve seen crazy, believe it.”

I was somewhat surprised to hear Maya Angelou and Oprah Winfrey talking about people being “crazy,” especially since I’ve tried to rise above name-calling when it comes to some of the crazy people in my own life.

Yes! Even I have a crazy person in my life that has sent me to the bathroom crying many times!

But what are we to do when crazy comes knocking?

The “old me” would let crazy in, make her a coffee, and sit for hours listening to her crazy talk. Some of us try so hard to fix crazy . . . or maybe, it’s just that we simply hope that “crazy isn’t so crazy after all.”

Sometimes the crazy talk would be directed straight at me; I’d be on the receiving end of her abusive, manipulative rants. I’d get drawn in. I’d defend myself. I’d be hurt, especially since I was the one who was always trying to help with all her craziness.

What I know now is that “crazy is what crazy does.” And just like Maya told Oprah, “Once you’ve seen crazy, believe it.”

Truth be told, even if you’re doing everything in your power to become the best version of you possible, “crazy” can still come looking for you. And here’s what else I know: You don’t need to answer the door. You don’t need to respond to the email. You don’t need to pick up the phone, return the message, or engage in the battle. Sometimes all you can do, is step far away, and pray for crazy from a distance.

You don’t have to plug into anyone’s energy—especially a toxic person’s. Instead, this can become an opportunity for you to transcend dysfunction, drama, anger, and co-dependency.

God … the Universe … whatever you call “it,” gives us opportunities everyday to transcend, so that we may know what it is to truly live with understanding, compassion, forgiveness, and love. Self love.

If we don’t transcend the experience, it instead becomes a pain that becomes blocked inside of us. We wonder, “Why would God do this to me?” not realizing it is a gift for our personal evolution. Rise above the circumstances of your life and find the silver linings.

They’re always there!

Finally, I will impress this upon you: If crazy keeps knocking on your door, there’s nothing unenlightened about getting a restraining order!