Words cannot properly explain how I felt the moment I found about Whitney Houston’s death. Saturday evening I was in my bedroom catching up on one of my favorite tv shows and chatting with my friend Danielle on gtalk, when she IM’d with “Whitney Houston is dead??”. My heart literally skipped a beat. We went from talking about Braxton Family Values and Mob Wives to the death of another icon. The first site I went to visit was TMZ, because they’re pretty much the news source that has turned into the “go-to” site. Of course the website wasn’t loading. Traffic surge I suppose. I grabbed my remote control and turned to CNN and there was Don Lemon in his hipster glasses, reporting on her death.

Disbelief was an understatement.

When you’re from New Jersey, Whitney Houston’s success was something you learned about and cherished at an early age.  I can only imagine how many times her songs were sung during school graduations.  I particularly remember my 8th grade graduation at Alexander Hamilton Middle School in Elizabeth, NJ. During our music class we were tasked with singing “One Moment In Time”, and every week we would sing that song at the top of our lungs in preparation for the graduation ceremony.  Truth be told, I can’t sing worth a damn, but you couldn’t tell me that when you’re surrounded by thirty other 8th graders. You couldn’t tell us anything once we got on that stage.  There were about 40-something Whitney Houstons; Black, White, Asian & Latino singing with all their might. That was our moment to shine.

Whitney Houston made anyone believe that they could sing her songs. Whether you were an 8th grader or grown woman in your car like I was this morning, teary eyed and singing to One Moment In Time while I was driving to work. You belted out those notes regardless of the fact that you couldn’t carry a note. When you’re singing to a Whitney Houston song, you’re in your own moment.

Instead of focusing on how she died, I rather focus on how she impacted music like no one else did and focus on how she inspired so many present day singers. Whitney took her one moment in time and made an impact. Rest in peace to the incomparable, Whitney Houston. You’re a winner for a lifetime.