I found myself fortuitously recalling some of the greatest moments of the late Whitney Houston last weekend, and I couldn’t stop myself from singing along to some of my favourites – ‘where do broken hearts go’, ‘greatest love of all’, and ‘one moment in time’. No singer on earth was a better vocalist than Whitney, in my much unbiased opinion, and I believe she was a great gift to the world. I also believe that nothing was taken away from Whitney in her later years. I believe she served her purpose here on earth, whether or not we think she could have done more.
On August 27, 1988, Whitney Houston released ‘One Moment In Time’ which had been recorded for the Seoul 1988 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the world was instantly captivated. When she performed it live for the first time at the 1989 Grammy Awards, the audience was transfixed for all of five minutes as Whitney blessed them not only with her heavenly voice, but with a strong message of self-belief, unwavering confidence and pursuit of purpose.
I do not believe that Whitney performed that song strictly for a sporting audience because it seemed to be a reflection of her personal journey as well as motivation for everyone else who would aspire to success against all odds. When she talked about wanting ‘one moment in time when I’m all that I thought I could be’, she clearly was digging deep into a well of personal aspirations to move others forward. She sang about ‘racing with destiny’, ‘living to be the very best’, ‘wanting it all; no time for less’, and ‘all of my dreams being one heartbeat away’. These words resonate through the ages because of the immense power of personal aspiration borne out of an intense desire to be the best one can be for the benefit of the world.
Whitney lived a very graceful life and bequeathed several incredible songs to the world as her legacy, and for that she can never be forgotten. ‘One Moment in Time’ will go down as one of her greatest renditions of all time, and doubtless will inspire many generations to come to seek to be the best they can be.
Whitney would have been 50 years old on August 9, 2013, but she lives on for the rest of time through her music.
Live on Whitney Houston!
“One Moment In Time”
Each day I live
I want to be
A day to give
The best of me
I’m only one
But not alone
My finest day
Is yet unknown
I broke my heart
Fought every gain
To taste the sweet
I face the pain
I rise and fall
Yet through it all
This much remains
I want one moment in time
When I’m more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I’m racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel
I will feel eternity
I’ve lived to be
The very best
I want it all
No time for less
I’ve laid the plans
Now lay the chance
Here in my hands
Give me one moment in time
When I’m more than I thought I could be
When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away
And the answers are all up to me
Give me one moment in time
When I’m racing with destiny
Then in that one moment of time
I will feel
I will feel eternity
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0W924XsLu4]