htothejizones

I couldn’t let Ms. Houston’s passing go by without my own little tribute. So, we are diverting today from the regular emails and celebrating the woman I’ve loved since I was a kid. This is my Whitney journey:



RIP Whitney Houston
August 9. 1963 -- February 11, 2012

“Here I sit…trying not to cry…asking myself why…” – Heartbreak Hotel

I have loved Whitney Houston ever since I can remember. My mom had me listening to The Bodyguard soundtrack before I could understand what `Queen of the Night` even meant. Now, don’t get me wrong; Whitney had her issues and we all poked fun at her. 'Crack is Whack' has been parodied how many times? However, we kid because we love, right?! At the bottom of all that we wanted Whitney to come back and rule the charts again.

I grew up on Whitney. `Exhale (Shoop Shoop)` was one of my favorite songs in middle school, even though I wasn`t old enough to watch the movie til many years later. The Preacher`s Wife was a staple that my mother and I watched regularly. (Plus, Denzel looks amazing in that grey trench coat.) Prince of Egypt was made even more amazing because of the beautiful music that Whitney and Mariah made together. And…not even gonna lie…I LOVED the Whitney and Brandy version of Cinderella. How could you not?!

I can`t even begin to describe how many times I have listened to the `My Love is Your Love` album. It always spoke to me even if I wasn`t going through the things she was talking about in the music. That being said, the title song is one that I truly believe is what life is about: LOVE. Whitney had a gift that lifted people up and made them happy. How could you not want to dance with everyone when `I Wanna Dance With Somebody` came on the record player?



So I, for one, will be listening to Whitney on a loop for quite some time and praying that the woman has finally met some peace. It feels like one of my besties is gone forever. Thank you Lord, for preserving her music for generations to come.



“If I should die this very day
Don't cry, 'cause on Earth we weren't meant to stay
And no matter what the people say
I'll be waiting for you after the judgment day” - Your Love Is My Love