WHY DOES IT HURT SO BAD?

I woke up with tears in my eyes and a heavy heart.  The night was so surreal and CNN didn't make it any better the way they milked this story. Whitney Houston is a legendary talent who will outlive her years. 

I know she had problems and her career has declined considerably.  I don't know her personally yet I feel like I've lost something special. And I had to ask myself:

Why does it hurt so bad?  Why do I feel so sad?

The reason why it hurt so bad is because I grew up with Whitney.  She was that golden voice in my ear even when the radio goes off.  Her talent and presence was majestic and she is indomitable when you consider her vocal control.  She always seem to innovate at every moment through her performances.  You always felt that even if she makes a mistake you would never notice and if the drummer didn't turn up she could still give you the best show of your life.

Her legacy I believe is timeless and while she is physically dead, she will continue to outlive her years.  I frankly believe that she lost her talent years ago but we failed to accept it.  We were always clamoring for some kind of come back, waiting, hoping praying for a return. She wanted to turn things around too and she tried her best.

The reality however was not to be and this must have been the greatest pressure on the beloved star.  The burden of expectation often drive us to the brink of death.  It is not an easy thing to deal with when you build your life around something and have to leave it behind.  I can't even imagine how devastating this have been for her.  

As it were with singers, there is no end except to the death.  With Whitney however the challenge was far bigger than she could handle.  She battled with so many demons that only God could have come down and help her.

The problem with addiction is the fact that it presents itself as the solution yet remains the problem.  It is therefore an endless cycle that has no visible end.  It takes a miracle to overcome a strong addiction and it takes more than belief; it takes a whole transformation of the order of a rebirth.  We wish her addiction to music was stronger than any other addiction.

While we still don't know the cause of her death and certainly don't want to speculate we have to give thanks for what she has contributed to the millions of lives she has inspired with her gift.  I believe that her honor is preserved and she will remain in our hearts for the positive aspects she has projected.  I hate to see her in a bad light and my greatest memory of Whitney is summarized in her performance of the National Anthem at the super bowl 1991.  

I am not from the USA, but that performance made me feel a sense of pride in being human.  It outshines the greatest artistic display ever produced by man and sets her apart as one of the greatest artist of all time.

Long live the legend WHITNEY HOUSTON.  

RIP