There are some moments
in life that you can look back and vividly remember every single detail. I will
never forget the moment when I heard the news that Whitney Houston had passed
away. I was out shopping when I overheard two women talking about a female
singer who had died. I could barely make out what they were saying, but I heard
them say the words "Whitney" and "singer." I remember
becoming so anxious and nervous that I couldn’t concentrate on shopping
anymore. I took the clothes that I wanted to buy to the cashier, and I hurried
to my car to check my phone that I had left on the charger. I had a few missed
calls and some text messages, but one text in particular confirmed the news
that I was dreading to hear. It read: “Whitney Houston is dead.” I
remember driving back home, listening to the radio in a state of shock. I
pulled my car over and turned down the music, and I just sat in silence for a
few minutes while taking in the news.
No, I never knew this
woman personally, but I was saddened to hear that she was gone. When she was in
the prime of her career, I was just a child; however, her music was still a big
part of my life. I can’t count the times I picked up a brush and pretended it
was a microphone so I could lip sing to one of her songs. She was just Whitney
Elizabeth Houston, an ordinary Jersey girl with an extraordinary talent. She
didn’t need back up dancers, pyrotechnics, or anything extra to enhance her
gift; all she needed was her incredible voice, and that was enough to captivate
so many around the world. Once she became a star, her life was put under a
microscope and people observed her every move, from her quick rise to
superstardom to her slow and ultimately tragic fall. Like any individual, we
all have flaws but unfortunately because of her celebrity status her flaws were
showcased publicly for the world to see. It’s amazing how people can love you
when you’re on top but quickly forget about you when you fall to the bottom.
On the day of her
funeral, I joined in with thousands of others to view the public memorial on
television. Of the over 3 hour memorial, the part that touched me the most was
at the very end when her casket was picked up and carried away while her song,
“I Will Always Love You,” played in the background. It became a reality
in that moment that every single person, including me, will meet that same
fate. Our lives are made up of moments. When we’re gone, they will be just
moments at one point in time. Death always makes me question my life and how I
will be remembered or what imprint will I leave. Whitney is no longer here, but
she left an imprint that will last a lifetime.
"Give me one moment in time
When I'm more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I'm racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel
I will feel eternity........
You're a winner for a lifetime
If you seize that one moment in time
Make it shine"........
When I'm more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I'm racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel
I will feel eternity........
You're a winner for a lifetime
If you seize that one moment in time
Make it shine"........
-Whitney Houston ("One Moment in Time")
Whitney in the prime of her career performing "Saving all my love for you" at the 1986 Grammy Awards. Her voice was incredible!
Whitney performing "I Have Nothing" in South Africa (1994). This is one of my favorite live performances.
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