The world was shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic passing of musical icon Whitney Houston on February 11. At only 48 years old, Houston was on the cusp of a comeback. Her final studio album had been a moderate success, and her public reputation seemed to be rebounding. ‘Sparkle’ was slated to be her re-entry into film, a project that had been shelved following the death of Aaliyah.
Whitney Houston, the fresh-faced and scandal-free icon of the 80s and early 90s, confused the public through a series of bizarre antics, including her appearances on the disturbing ‘Being Bobby Brown.’ Rumors of Houston’s drug addiction swirled. After the fact, she admitted to Oprah Winfrey that she had become addicted to drugs, sometimes lacing marijuana with cocaine. Owning her demons, she had checked into rehabilitation, something she’d find herself doing again before her untimely death.
While Houston grappled with her addiction, she was unique in her vision of a better self. Combating the forces that harmed her, she encouraged and strengthened others through the words she brought to life in song. Her optimistic take on life emerged on her very earliest album, as she sang, “I believe that children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the beauty they possess inside.”
She masterfully covered the Dolly Parton classic “I Will Always Love You” for the soundtrack to “The Bodyguard.” She wished a departing man “joy and happiness,” no trace of bitterness or anger. The theme to Whitney’s entire career could be summed up in the following phrase from the iconic song, “Above all this, I wish you love.”
One of Whitney Houston’s most inspiring lyrical moments came on her final studio album, as she faced a new world of possibilities. The figure in “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” represented her personal longing, the one she believed we all had the possibility to become. “Lost touch with my soul. I had nowhere to turn. I had nowhere to go,” she begins before launching into what became her defining message:
“Found hope in my heart. I found the light to life My way out of the dark. Found all that I need,
here inside of me. I thought I’d never find my way. I thought I’d never lift that weight. I thought I would break. I didn’t know my own strength.”
While Whitney Houston may have lost her way, her message of hope and light has helped millions of people find theirs. It’s with a heavy heart and a debt of gratitude that we say our farewells to a legend that will hold an unshakable place in so many of our hearts. Farewell, Whitney.
“Learning to love yourself, it is the greatest love of all.” – Whitney Houston (1963-2012)