I usually avoid blogging about the more popular items in news or current affairs. I like the quirky, small stories or the ones that make you think. However, the death of Whitney Houston is compelling me to blog.
I won't go into her life, acting, singing, Bobby Brown, drugs etc cause that really isn't my business to judge. Whitney did what made her happy or allowed her to temporarily bury her demons or whatever.
Whitney Houston reminds me of my childhood, my innocence and my naive view that I would be someone who would make a difference in the world.
In 1985 some 22 year old singer was singing about a few stolen moments being all that she could get to share with some dude she was in love with. Meanwhile I was busy wishing I could have a few stolen moments with George Michael. (It wasn't until 1998 that I realised just how unlikely that was going to be.)
I remember the big hair, actually big should probably be in huge capital letters. The fluorescent clothing and fringe that denied gravity, the 'Insette Spiky' hair spray that went all bobbly when you washed your hair.
I remember Bobby Brown getting blamed for leading Whitney astray (maybe it was the other way around and he became the scapegoat).
Who can forget 'The Bodyguard'? Though certainly there were times when I wished I could as the song seemed to be played to death! 'I will Always Love You' must have made Dolly Parton even more cash than Dollywood.
The best tune I think is 'My Love is Your Love' the Wycliffe Jean one, though the one before that rocked a bit too. Each Whitney song that I sang loudly in the car while people tried to call the RSPCA to complain that someone was killing a cat makes me smile, it brings about past memories of a time when I thought I was invincible.
So, is it sad and tragic news regarding her death or is it sad and tragic the way we tend to view people with addiction issues?
It's very easy to be judgemental, you see someone with cigarettes, alcohol, drugs (prescription or otherwise), you hear someone throwing up in the toilet after they eat or do you see someone unable to cope with things in their life and looking for a crutch, an item that will always be there? Something they can control or something that will never let them down.
Part of me thinks that Whitney's death is no more tragic than Amy Whitehouse or every solider in Afghanistan killed for doing his job. All have contributed something to the world, which is more than I can say about myself. At least I can fight my demons with anonymity and know the world isnt staring & judging me.Whitney famously said, 'The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy'. I think she was 100% correct 'cause I know that no one on this earth can judge me harder than I judge myself.
