A Tribute to Whitney Houston

Dear Whitney,

Thank you… for being my first influence in music, thank you for giving me my first BIG SONG that has now become my life song.

Thank you Whitney for in your life and death, you’ve given me a priceless life lesson… to be my own woman!! To allow the beauty inside of me to lead me through each moment… I don’t think there’s ever been a time… when I haven’t sung… “Greatest Love of all” and not felt confident again… THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!

May the memory of your song… always remind me… to be my own person, even when the risk is high or the road is tough… to continue to never let, something outside of me… be it a person, substance or projection… lead my life for me. In your life, lies a deep lesson… for the one’s meant to receive it!! In your life lies the story of how life changes when that which is outside of us begins to control us and live on behalf of us.. In your memory shall always be the reminder that “I’ve found the greatest love of all inside of me”

I first met You through Your Song “Greatest Love of All”… standard VII… 1990!!!

I enrolled myself for the Western Vocal Group at school’s annual “Kaleidoscope”. I almost missed even being a part of it… that particular year… when I missed the auditions. By the time I did reach the audition venue… I was short of breath and 20 minutes too late!! The teacher who was taking the audition that day… Clementine Panicker… was asked to come back specially for me to audition I guess more so, because I missed the timings while at CHOIR PRACTICE for the BIG SCHOOL SERVICE the following day

Anyway, I did get through… and then began the look out for a big song!! I needed to redeem myself… the audition song, the voice and the singer were pretty average… according to Ms. Panicker and she said “what is so special about this girl that you’ve made me wait to audition her!!” I don’t know whether I smiled or I hurt… I just felt like I needed to surprise her… then again… how do you surprise someone… when you are of the same view of yourself.

I sang, because I loved to sing… I didn’t understand… Good or Bad or Brilliant about singing, was a soprano in the church choir (just another soprano)…. and suddenly here, I got DIVA treatment… teachers fighting to make sure I was a part (if I remember correctly, it was Mrs. Geraldine Osborne) who spoke to Ms. Panicker so I could audition, since my gang of girls told her that I had missed the audition while at Choir Practice I don’t think I had as much confidence in my own ability to sing… ha ha ha… the nun’s kept my swollen head in check… telling me quite regularly that it would get me nowhere… oops!! A lot of them are with Jesus now… wonder what they’d have to say about the music scene today

I don’t remember, who recommended “Greatest Love of All”, but whoever did… GOD BLESS THEM abundantly!! I was pitted in a different group from the school’s big voices and brilliant talents… Rosana Vetticad, Ruchita Tekevettil, Angela Menezes and Samantha Noronha… I was the “WHO THE HECK IS SHE” entrant!!

3 days of practicing with the tape recorder and no confidence… I allowed the song to sing itself to me… so many times… that it became a part of me… what moved me… was the rendition… each word had a meaning… and each meaning important… the feeling of the song. I guess, the words were sooooo powerful and made so much sense to my own confidence, like this song was the answer… to each of the moments that led to finally singing it!! More than me… falling in love with the song… the song fell in love with me!!

I won 1st Prize… so many hugs… so many compliments… this song was the beginning of a completely new chapter in my confidence… I didn’t have to work too hard to stay popular or stay singing!! I didn’t have to shy away from the BIG moments or challenges… because the GREATEST LOVE OF ALL WAS (literally) HAPPENING TO ME!! I FOUND THE GREATEST LOVE OF ALL INSIDE OF ME!!  

… many years have passed since… and only the other day… As I listened to this song again… I realise it represents my journey in more ways than one…

 

Even in your death… Whitney… You’ve given me a lesson… My Gratitude to you for being a part of my life in song… indeed!!

May you rest in peace… in the presence of God!!

Love and Light

Dee

P.S.: To my readers

Just as I write this… I realise once again… that we don’t take out too much time in our everyday lives… to acknowledge the many people who INSPIRE us… to let them KNOW how special their lives are… to us and how they too can find a meaning through us!!!

Each acknowledgment we make… draws us and the other person to dig deeper into their own truth and live a fuller life!! Let’s not wait till they’re gone… to acknowledge how our lives have been made more meaningful by drawing references from them, that have moved us to a new thought, new experience in our own lives…

Gratitude to ALL THAT IS for ALL THAT IS!!