Oh, Whitney.

Wow. What a sincere tragedy.

Obviously, unless you've been living under a rock, you've heard about the loss of Whitney Houston. I'm choosing to write about it for many reasons. Anytime someone whose reach has impacted so many dies tragically, it really, really sucks. Clearly, I'd never met her or had the honor of hearing her live and in person but as I browse through radio stations I remember all of the incredible songs she has done over the years. Truthfully, I fell in love with her when she was in "The Bodyguard" as a young girl. I never was able to watch the movie, but I think my mom had the soundtrack on cassette tape and I listened to it all the time. "I Will Always Love You" is a song that resonates through me and for so many people. It was one of those game changers. I absolutely loved her performence in "Waiting to Exhale" and I'll admit, it's one of my favorite post-divorce/breakup movies around. I owned that CD when it first came out. I'm a girl who loves, loves, loves some Whitney.

The dark side of all of this is what we presume to be her demise due to her drug addictions. Reports are saying it was Xanax combined with intense amounts of alcohol that caused her to drown in a tub. We know in the past, she had struggled with cocaine, prescription pills, and marijuana...often combining them. I've known people in my life who are here and who have gone who also struggled with addiction. It's a horrendous thing to watch someone you love travel down the path of emptiness and desperation. Addiction knows no bounds. It can happen to the people who seem to have it all and to the obvious ones who are down on their luck and have nothing (in their minds) to count on. Covering up inside hurts with the abuse of illegal or legal substances is SO not worth it. In any way shape or form.

I don't think users realize how much it does impact those around them. Loving someone who uses or abuses is like standing in front of them with your arms outstretched, but unable to reach them. They keep slipping farther and farther behind while you just stand still. Reaching to save them. It could be a friend, family member, boyfriend/girlfriend, neighbor, spouse, in-law. Young, old. Rich, poor. The absolute worst feeling in the world is watching and not being able to save. In the end, the person with the addiction has to be the one to admit they have a problem, want for a better life, and get the help they need and deserve. Most people don't realize they have a problem until it's too late and sometimes when they realize, they relapse. It just plain sucks.

Even though Whitney was a celebrity, my heart hurts for her daughter, family and friends. Just because they were in the shadow of her spotlight, doesn't make their pain any less than normal. Such an amazing God-given voice, an incredible talent, wasted and gone. So, so sad.

God is truly the only person who can fill your pain, ease your hurts, and make you feel whole. Drugs, alcohol, pills, & avoidance aren't going to do you any favors.