A Valentine Tribute – Whitney, I Will Always Love You
Whitney Houston
I have never been one to celebrate Valentine’s Day. And no, it’s not because I am jaded about love. My four long-term romantic relationships total about 16 years and were for the most, filled with unconditional love and beautiful lasting memories. Yet, I never get fussy about February 14. When anyone asks why, I’ve always tried to justify my lack of enthusiasm by saying, I’m so constantly showered with love, I don’t need a holiday to commemorate it. Corny, I know, but that’s how I feel. But I get why people are excited about celebrating their love on V-Day. And I don’t think these celebrations are or should be limited to romantic connections.
My fondest V-Day memory is actually from when I was 16 years old and still in secondary school. I was class prefect for some junior students, who on the one hand adored me for my jovial nature and on the other hand “feared” me for being a strict disciplinarian. I was also well-regarded for my punctuality; I’d arrive daily to school about 90 minutes early. On Valentine’s Day that year, I got there at my usual time and standing on the steps by the main entrance were about 12 little boys holding single-stemmed red roses. They were waiting for me. Each handed me a rose as I walked in and one of them, Neil – my colleague in the school’s choir, serenaded me. He knew it was one of my favorite songs and at the time, an anthem for many of us – “The Greatest Love of All” by Whitney Houston. That day, like so many others in my teenage and young adult years was made all the more special because Whitney was part of it. Today, like millions of fans around the world, I mourn her death. Anyone who knows me, knows that I loved Whitney and her music. So for once, I am celebrating Valentine’s Day; I’m celebrating my love for Whitney Houston. Read more…
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