My Memories: Whitney Houston

Lots of news comes and goes, and I usually don't mention my reactions or feelings here on the blog.
However, yesterday Whitney Houston died, and I was speechless, shocked, and then just really sad for her family, especially her teenage daughter.

I think everyone has their Whitney memories. Songs of hers that were the soundtrack for different things in our lives. Or maybe not, but I definitely did!

My cousin sang The Greatest Love of All at an elementary school talent show back in the early 90's.

When I was in New York city during my first Spring Break as a teacher, I picked up this FABULOUS 2 disc album with all of Whitney's music, including remixes. And I still jam out to 1 of those CD's often. (I lost the other one...boooo!)

Our family of 4 really enjoyed her in The Preacher's Wife....and Melanie would sing songs from that movie all the time the year it came out.

Then of course you have The Bodyguard. A movie that I have always enjoyed, a soundtrack that is beyond sensational! And I will always remember watching it for the first time during my teens with my daddy. It happened to come on TV and at the end the little hopeless romantic in me turned to my daddy and said..."Wait! That can't be the end. That's not fair, why can't they be together?" And with the straight forwardness of a man, my daddy just replied, "Well they both had jobs to do, and very separate lives." That was it, no other explanation. Of course teenage Sabrina did not understand it, and I definitely was disappointed for the rest of the night.

So many of her songs I know by heart. I personally believe her vocal talent was a gift from God. It was so pure, and perfect, and amazing. It often seemed like she just opened her mouth, and perfect song flowed out. Her family history is full of singers....did you know that her mother was a back up singer for Elvis!?

I was going to be tuned into the Grammy's tonight anyway....because Adele is wonderful and I want to see her sing and hopefully sweep every category in which she is nominated. I will definitely be watching now. As the music world that catapulted Whitney to super stardom, now takes a moment to honor her skills and life.

I am not naive, I know that she made her choices as a grown woman......as we all do. But, the "old school" Whitney, the one most of us know and remember. The one who won my heart long before some of her more detrimental life changes. The "old school" Whitney demands my respect and honest appreciation for the music that she graced us with over the many years. Mrs. Whitney Houston you will be missed so much, but thank you for leaving us examples of your gorgeous voice!