Over the weekend the world said good-bye to Whitney Houston. There have been a lot of opinions and commentary about Whitney's death. Some nice and some not so nice. I've thought a lot about that these last few days, and this is what I want to say. I am just an ordinary citizen. I did not know Whitney Houston, I wasn't part of her inner circle, or her family, but this is what I know for sure; in her most basic form, Whitney Houston was an ordinary person just like me. When she put her slacks on she put them on one leg at a time, just like me. She tucked her daughter in to bed at night, just like me. She sang to Bobbi Kristinia when she was a baby, just as I sung to my daughter when she was a baby. She was a working mother, just like me. She was someone's daughter, just as I am and she was painfully human, just like me. The difference between us is that Whitney Houston lived her life in the public eye, and I live my life in relative obscurity. It was that life in the public eye that was hard for her. I would bet a lot of money that a life in the public eye is never easy, no matter who you are. Everyone is always waiting for you to mess up just so it can be pointed out to you seven ways to Sunday, and eventually it takes its toll on you and the way you live your life. Whitney Houston was no exception.
What is sad to me is that people seem to take great pleasure in tearing her down instead of thinking of her family during this very sad time. My mother and father taught me if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all. I don't think there is one person walking this earth that hasn't done something that they aren't proud of. We all have skeletons and secrets in our closets. Most of the time it's not until after we're gone that they are ever discovered. Unfortunately for Whitney Houston hers were hung out on the clothes line for everybody to see and discuss. Are we really immune to a similar fate? I think not. Anyone can fall victim to the same things that she did. Addiction doesn't care who you are, rich or poor famous or ordinary. Until you have lived that life or are the family member who is trying to cover it all up can you even begin to understand. It takes real courage to be a supporter or a friend to someone who is struggling with addiction. Those are the people that I take my hat off to - RJ, Bobbi Kristina, her mother, her cousin Dione. They had the hardest job of all, and they are the ones that need our love and support.
I propose we look at the tremendous talent that has passed from this earth to her next life. Whitney had a voice like no other. Her talent as a vocalist and recording artist were superior to any in my lifetime. She truly had the voice of an angel. She was also a gifted actress. Her movies let us have a glimpse at yet another side to the famous singer. It allowed us to see her humanness from a safe distance, especially in The Body Guard. I watched Kevin Costner speak at her memorial service and he said that when they made that film he insisted that she play the lead. He waited for her to be ready, and I totally agree with him that it was well worth the wait.
Whitney's struggles were ours. Over the years we were saddened by the lifestyle she chose. It was only in the last few years that we didn't hear much from or about her. I would like to think that maybe she was exorcising some of the demons that haunted her throughout her adult life. I know that she had found love and companionship again, and that she seemed to be enjoying her daughter Bobbi Kristina. I am left wondering if she ever found peace. What I do know for sure is that 48 is too young to die. It makes me sad for her daughter to have lost her mom at 18. I can only hope that Bobbi Kristina will see her mother in her own children's laugh or smile, and that she will take comfort in knowing that her mom will have a unique perspective on the momentous events of her life.
Rest in peace Whitney. I hope your forever after is filled with peace and music.
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