How Will You Remember Whitney Houston?

 

 

Most of us will prefer to remember Whitney Houston by her music not her addiction. 

That is the reputation, the legacy, the image of an icon that her family and the media would prefer that we cling to.  Her reputation must be salvaged.  Her legacy must remain largely unstained.  Much like that of Michael Jackson the coming days will probably consist of much responsibility being shirked and blame placed elsewhere. 

But no one is willing to get to the real question...   

That question is NOT "What killed her?" 

That question is NOT "What will the coroner declare as the cause of death?" 

That question is NOT "What are the precise measurements of alcohol and prescription drugs that make it a lethal concoction?

If these are the real questions then the moral of the story with Whitney Houston is simply, "Kids, listen up!  Don't drink and take prescription drugs together.  End of story."

BUT WE ARE MISSING SOMETHING HERE!

The real question is, "What pain was Whitney Houston trying to numb?"

What pain in her life became too unbearable that a 48 year old woman could not be left alone by herself for more than 10 minutes for fear of what might happen...and what did happen on the day of her death.

We all have wounds.  We all have hurt.  We all have pain.  The real question is 'how are we trying to numb it?'  Because it is something that we can't change.  It is a permanent mark that has been made on us.  It can not be undone.   But we can begin to see healing if we face it.  Rather than trying to avoid it at all cost, manage it in everyway, and bandage it up so no one can see it. 

Whitney Houston was in pain.  And she was trying to numb that pain in many different 'manageable' ways.  But eventually, it became unmanageable. 

I recently saw a movie that spoke to me about how we must handle our wounds.  The movie carried the image of our woundedness in the form of a haunting, bloodthirsty pack of wolves.  The wound was ultimately embodied in the alpha wolf whom the character would eventually have to face head on in order to keep his own life.  In the closing minutes of the film, this climactic encounter occurred.  And every one of us in the theater waited to see what would happen.  The message was clear.

You must face your wound head on.  It is how we keep on living.  It is how we choose life over death.

I will remember Whitney Houston as an amazing artist.  An icon indeed.  But I will also remember Whitney as a woman who had a deep pain she could not silence.  In the end, it got the best of her.  Numbing the pain is not a life giving choice.  But facing the pain can free you.

We can choose life.  We can choose freedom.  Every day.  If we are willing to face our wound. 

Comments

[Chanel]

Her voice so powerful, strong, her acting. Now, when i hear I Will Always Love You the lyrics omg, now, so deep that she is no longer here. Im eagered to see Sparkle I already know imma need some tissues, when i see it, i cried two weeks after her untimely death when i watched her in Cinderella. I know that when i watch The Preacher's Wife im going to be in tears, and Waiting To Exhale. R.I.P. Whitney.

Pray that her mom is doing ok. And BK.