For the next few days the world will be a flood with tributes to the late Whitney Houston. Millions of fans, like myself, will grieve for many different reasons. Each because of how our lives may have been touched by her music or because of the tragedy that had come from the down turn in her career.
As I watched the many news programs, each replaying songs and videos and recounting her bright and brilliant early career, I was struck by something that one commentator said about Miss Houston's attempts at a comeback. That was, that it seemed anyone or everyone that had ever heard her sing truly, wanted to see her make it back to her former glory.
Even though her recent concert tour in Europe had not gone well, (people asking for their money back in some respects), still people bought tickets, they wanted to see her and they wanted her to BE BACK! I did too. I wanted her to succeed, I wanted her to beat her demons. The ones that had shackled that incredible voice and show herself and the world that you can come back, you can be whole again, you can beat an addiction and come out the other side, pick yourself up and walk again, There is only one other Hollywood star and personality I've felt that way about before and that was Robert Downey, Jr.
I had seen her interviewed in just the last few weeks for the new movie she will be in coming out this summer, "Sparkle" and at that time she looked and sounded like the Whitney I came to admire, that made my heart skip a beat when she belted out one of her memorable songs. She looked good, she sounded good and I hoped. I hoped for her.
I think part of my feeling comes from watching others in my life who are suffering like Miss Houston did. I'm sure we all know someone like that, especially in this day and age. We see their potential, we see their strength, we believe that they can overcome the demons they fight but we can only watch from the sidelines. We know that there is nothing we can do, or very little. It is their fight. But we can hope for them. We can hope and when they do find some success we can be there to cheer them on. We can believe in them.
We have lost so many in this generation with great talent and great potential. We seem to lose them in greater numbers year after year and I hope and pray that we do not become complacent to those kinds of losses. I cannot speak to the next young star or starlet who may leave us before she or he sees his or her full potential but I can say that Miss Houston will be missed, and her all too early passing will not be forgotten for a very long time.
The only bright thought in all this is that I'm sure Miss Houston is singing with a heavenly choir in the same manner that her singing career started, and her voice will still be as dynamic and beautiful as it ever was. And we know she will be happy.
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