I tried to explain how amazing she was, how she set the standard, topped the charts, and then just threw it all away. How when American Idol judges said "don't sing Whitney" they meant it. No one sings Whitney like Whitney.
Then this weekend, the tragedy was compounded.
It really does make me heartsick.
Whitney was my idol for so many years. I saw her on the Merv Griffin show when she was just 17 and she sang "How Will I Know?" I immediately went out and bought her first album. I may have played that album a thousand times (my family will vouch).
She was the soundtrack to most of my college years. She got me through boyfriends and breakups and late night study sessions.
I saw her in concert back in the day- she was even better live.
I missed her when she disappeared.
There doesn't seem to be an iconic singer for this generation of her standard.
We don't have a Whitney Houston or a Mariah Carey any more. (Ironically, not even Mariah sings like Mariah used to back in the day).
I feel lucky and blessed to have been influenced by her gift.
But most of all, I just feel sad for way it ended.
