Whitney Houston – Rest In Peace

There has been much made of the untimely and regrettable death of Whitney Houston in the last week.

Speculation about her addictions and personal life; political questions raised about Gov. Christie’s order to fly the American flag at half-mast in New Jersey; attitudes expressed about celebrity deaths getting too much media coverage while military deaths are overlooked; and public sentiment ranging from grief and sadness to “she got what she deserved”.

In the end, most deaths are tragic in one way or another, and those that seem to occur too soon or for ill-fated reasons capture our attention and touch us in a myriad of ways. I will not pass judgment on how Whitney led her life nor am I interested in the many side stories about businesses capitalizing on her death or the plethora of public sentiment.

I am saddened and troubled by numerous things on a daily basis, some business, some personal, some political and some just seem inexplicable in their effect. Much of our country lives their lives in a similar way and struggle with the daily challenges of just surviving and moving on.

What I choose to remember about Whitney is a glorious two-minute span on Sunday January 27, 1991 when the US was just 10 days into Operation Desert Storm and she uplifted the entire country with a glorious rendition of our National Anthem. At a time when we needed it most, she delivered and that is what great people do. Whitney Elizabeth Houston, Godspeed and may you rest in peace.