It's almost been a year since the day my world stopped; the day we lost a national treasure...a legend...an icon. February 11, 2012. The day Whitney Houston died.
That day, Whitney spread her wings and transcended to be with 'somebody bigger than you and I.' That day, we believe she found the peace, tranquility, and wholesome, unconditional love we hope our loved ones obtain when we lose them. That day marked the beginning of our remembrance of her and her legacy --- her family, friends, and fans mourn...and continue to do so a year later.
That day fed and released the vultures and critics; those who fail (or are too ignorant) to see her for the wonderful person and extraordinary talent she was -- her level of accomplishment and success, her historical achievements, and the millions of lives she's touched around the globe.
In my opinion, coverage and articles about her death have focused more on her personal life and struggles -- as they did through most of her career -- instead of her incomparable and illustrious career. One fan tweeted:
Whitney Houston's story isn't in the drugs her story is in the impact she made on this world even through the worldly devils.
— Troy Story (@mrLdavis) January 29, 2013
I agree. Whitney Houston impacted the world and the lives of millions of people; not to mention the precedence and standard she set for future artists and vocalists. Most of this was accomplished with her voice...and the skill, talent, and know-how to use her instrument.
There are a few things that really upset me and work my nerves related to the coverage and continued coverage of her death; to me, most of these pieces have an unvoiced undertone and feel that would be present if they were covering the life and career of someone whose passing was the result of an overdose. Again, I believe this is a result from the unwavering focus on her issues with drugs. Which brings me to my other matter of contention...
The opportunities for public awareness and education that can grow from elements surrounding Whitney's life and sudden passing. Whitney's death was ruled to be a result of an accidental drowning. While reports have noted that her toxicology report returned the presence of barbiturates in her system at the time of her death, it was also noted that Whitney had heart disease. You hear about the drugs in the coverage, but how often have you heard about the heart disease?
On the January 28, 2013, episode of Next Chapter, Whitney's mother, Grammy winning Gospel recording artist Cissy Houston, revealed to Oprah Winfrey that Whitney suffered a heart attack, which leads one to assume that resulted in her falling face-first into the bathtub of water. [promo video for the interview below]
Now, I'm not saying that the public awareness and education opportunities I speak of need to be directly tied to Whitney's story, but this is a valid time to educate society and promote healthy lifestyles, healthy living, heart health, and the dangers involved in using drugs.
- Partake in a healthy food diet
- Exercise, have a communicative and healthy relationship with your doctor, and have checkups and visits regularly
- Don't participate in self-destructive behavior and activities; they could have damaging effects one may not realize. Did you know cocaine usage could lead to heart disease? I didn't either...and never would have thought it. The things we learn!
- As the saying goes "Say 'NO' to Drugs"!
- Don't combine drugs (prescription, controlled, over-the-counter, or a combination of the sort) ... unless advised and/or approved by your doctor. When I say "controlled," I mean "illegal."
- Don't mix alcohol and medication [there's a reason those labels are on the bottles], but it's a common practice...far too many people do it.
Public education does not always have to be courtesy of a PSA (Public Service Announcement).
Bonus: Be sure to click the "Next Chapter" link in the post; you'll be able to discover what nickname Whitney Houston gave her mother, Cissy Houston. :-)
