15 Feb, 2012
Just Whitney
I jolted up to news of Whitney's passing on Sunday morning. I was shell-shocked and completely speechless; I lost someone I call 'Legend'.
She is my favorite since I started appreciating sentimental English oldies, and I listen to her songs so much over the past decade. Her powerful vocals were a Godsend, and her songs have always been such great light in my world of music. They are real, and they are choked with feelings; Whitney always sang them with all she had.
I was 14 when I owned my first Whitney Houston album. At that time, I only knew "Greatest Love of All", "I Have Nothing" and her ever-classic rendition of "I Will Always Love You". I loved her already, and with the album that I had saved up to buy, I was introduced to Whitney on a whole new level.
She was just... just amazing.
I could feel her through her crooning, I could feel her through every verse; I could feel her joy, I could feel her pain, I could feel her exasperation, I could feel her hope... Everything. There is not a track that I do not enjoy.
I never knew much about her personal life, except her battle with an abusive relationship. I listened to her anyway; her sorrow bothered me, and I could understand her tears. But above that, her songs gave me strength through my daily life, and while the whole world are only revisiting them now, I am one who always loop her tracks through my morning drives.
She is such a huge part of my life - yesterday, today, and many more tomorrows.
Rest in peace, dear Whitney. Thank you for being so amazing. Your passing is certainly a regret, and you will be sorely missed for all the love you had brought to my world. Your courage had taught me so much about life and people, and I will always love you.
I have nothing, nothing, nothing... if I don't have you.
"I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows.
If I fail, if I succeed, at least I'll live as I believe.
No matter what they take from me, they can't take away my dignity.
Because the greatest love of all, is happening to me.
I found the greatest love of all inside of me.
The greatest love of all is easy to achieve,
learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all."
The greatest love of all is easy to achieve,
learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all."