Whitney: One Year Later

Maybe one moment in time, the memory may not sting as much, but one year later, much of the world still is mourning the loss of Whitney Houston.

Over the weekend, Arista founder Clive Davis — the man who discovered the timeless singer — threw his annual pre-Grammy bash and celebrated her life — the very same party Whitney was getting ready to attend when she was found dead last year in her bathtub at the Beverly Hills Hilton.

The family seems to be getting by — some better, some worse — as best as they can. While her mother Cissy declined an invitation from Clive to attend the shindig (she called the mere thought of the invitation “obscene”), her brother and sister attended in Whitney’s honor to give support to the man who brought the woman known as “The Voice” into our view.

As for her daughter, Bobbi Kristina — well, she was caught smoking something which probably wasn’t a cigarette with ex-fiance (but still boyfriend?), Nick Gordon a couple of days prior.

From a fan’s standpoint, I still have a lot of feelings — if you’re interested, head on after the jump.

It pains my heart and soul to know that Whitney Houston was one of those souls whose light dimmed all too soon. But in that sense of immense sadness, they leave us the most beautiful of dreams and hopes that even though they aren’t perfect, we should strive for nothing less than perfection.

Unfortunately, those we look up to are at times the most tainted of souls. They inspire, create, express and share so much with so many others and we take those words and considerations to heart to make us better people, even when they can’t take their own amazing sense of worth.

A year later, I still find it hard to listen to her songs — I know, it seems so silly — but knowing, loving and missing someone whose beautiful talent helped me out through some of my darkest times in my life… to know that person isn’t hear anymore, it’s a lot to take in.

I remember one of her final television performances: it was during her interview with Oprah Winfrey, where she ended up singing a track from her final album, I Look To You.

When she took the stage to sing, “I Didn’t Know My Own Strength” which followed the interview; it was a little shaky, but it was strong and real. The lyrics were so immensely honest, you would’ve swore she was singing her own redemption:

“Survived my darkest hour; my faith kept me alive
I picked myself back up; hold my head up high
I was not built to break…”

Sadly, that last line proved untrue. She did break.

And in that, she broke the hearts of many.

Whitney was compared to an angel… but this is Earth and demons can easily take over. Some demons are fought and beaten; some are easier than others.

Sometimes, the demons win.

I don’t want to rehash or revisit any of those stories that became so much tabloid fodder for years — no matter how true they are. This time last year, the world lost an icon, a powerhouse — a true singer — and even though it has been 365 days since the world found out all at once that her voice was forever silenced, it’s going to take some time to truly find some kind of peace from it all, if that’s even a possibility.

A year later or 10 years later — I still miss her.

With that being said, I’d like to share that performance with you here. It’s not the greatest, I know this — and there are countless videos full of perfection that one could share — but I prefer this one because it was real. It was raw. It was honest.

We all have our crosses to bear. We are all human. Keep that in mind and heart before you truly judge her.

She is missed and there are those who will always mourn.

Miss Houston, may you rest always.

Via Tabloid Prodigy