w h i t n e y

i wanted to wait a few days for the initial hype to die down.

with the RIP tweets and retweets, the sudden Facebook newsfeed floods of her songs, and the countless gifs of her photos on Tumblr…it’s easy to get lost in the “Remember Whitney” bandwagon and impossibly decipher who was really heavily influenced by the late Ms. Whitney Houston.

and as i rushed home from work this morning to catch all the tributes prior to her funeral’s live broadcast, i remember my childhood when i thought i could dream as big as i could and be whatever and whoever i wanted to be.

personally, i wanted to be the next Whitney.

i remember singing “The Greatest Love of All” at the top of my lungs as i walked down the steps of my childhood home. i sang with such emotion and waited for the loud applause from my audience — my nanny and grandmother.

i’d even steal the microphone at all the family parties
just so i could sing one Whitney song for the night…

“Dance With Somebody“, “One Moment in Time“, “Saving All My Love For You“…it didn’t matter…because think of all the messages in her greatest hits:

• “…if i fail, if i succeed…at least i lived as i believed…”
• “…i am not afraid to try it on my own…i don’t care if i’m right or wrong…”
• “…i won’t let my spirit fail me…i won’t let my spirit go…until I get to my destination..”
• “…it’s not right…but it’s ok…i’m gonna make it anyway…”
• “…all of my dreams are a heartbeat away…and the answers are all up to me…”

i could do anything i set my mind to.

her lessons of accountability, perseverance, and self-respect were all positive motivations that make any little girl believe in herself.

she was my hero.

fast forward to the present
where i’m obviously far from being a singer,
much less the next Whitney…

although that dream has long changed since my childhood, i haven’t forgotten the songs that inspired me when i was a young dreamer and the message of reaching for the stars despite any obstacles that may get in the way.

Rest in Peace Whitney.

August 9, 1963 — February 11, 2012

you were undeniably the brightest star in my lifetime.

you will be deeply missed.

Related articles

• The Greatest Love of All–Thank you, Whitney (thenowandthenotyet.blogspot.com)
• Whitney Houston generation (leggotunglei808.wordpress.com)
• CUWAM: Death of my childhood idol, Whitney Houston (catchupwithamate.com)