THERE CAN BE MIRACLES

  Last night was amazing. It appeared that one of the miracles Whitney Houston said could happen, did happen. There she was, on stage, singing with all her might and talent. The audience was silent, mesmerized, time and time again until it collectively, gave roaring standing ovations to one song after another. Yes, it seems miracles can be part of life.

Now not to worry, I am not delusional, for yes, unfortunately, Whitney Houston died a terrible death after too many awful years. She could not seem to wrest herself permanently from an abusive husband, loved him too greatly for her own sake and fell victim to depression, hopelessness, and despair. Unlike Tina Turner, she could not pull herself together long enough, deep enough, to save herself. However, the message she left behind, the theme of the songs in which she shared her hopes and heartbreak, remains strong. Presenters such as last night's Belinda Davids keep it alive.

The heartbreak of these songs are the heartaches of all of us. The pains with "every beat" of her heart ring through, loud and clear, and we wonder just what happened? Where has the love gone in today's world? How did we forget who we were as children, life generally sweeter, less oppressive, more smiles on faces than frowns. We participated in life rather than remain on the side, the shoulder of life rather than the path we need to take, are meant to take if life is to fulfill the promise it holds for each and every one of us.

At one point in her career Whitney sang of the "greatest love", that which is found within oneself, one that allows our self-esteem a healthy life, gives us encouragement, courage, to go on, to trust oneself. To "be free". Only with that trust can we move forward on a steady path with the strength to go on despite the odds seemingly against that possibility. If only she had taken her own advice; but she did not.

Instead, she lingered in a relationship of abusive nature rather than the loving, caring one she so desperately sought. In the wrong place - the wrong man. Always she sang of the pain this 'love' inflicted upon her. She was nothing without that love, a true love. That never happened, yet she clung to the hope of it, the illusion of it, declared herself broken, shattered, nothing, without that person's love - a love never true nor beneficial, a false love, hurtful, demeaning and poisonous. 

As I listened to the beautiful voice of Ms. Davids, I thought of the waning presence of true love in this world. So many, too many, of the people of this world are without love. They are threatened, beaten, their needs ignored, enslaved, the targets of hatred, inimical to all. We confuse love with acquiescence to demands, that we change to fit those square holes. That we all become the 'supporters', a "base'" for others, never for ourselves -never a good place to be.

I listened and thought how blessed I am in my life. Never mind petty childhood spats of siblings or an occasional scolding by a parent, or a tense discussion with a friend. If we have a circle of family, by blood or by love, crafted, if we have that then much fades into the background, little things of no account.

Unfortunately, in today's world the blessing of true family, of any composition, beneficial and supportive, is a blessing more noticed in its absence than its presence. Today the stories of humanity are rife, rotten, with spilled blood, with hatred vile and vicious, of 'others', whatever one's definition of that 'other' is. We appear to value and stress hatred, refusing to accept the humanity of all, particularly if that other appears to be different than you.

Whitney asked of her audiences, asked of her loved ones, "Don't you want to dance with somebody"? Always there is that need, that longing for a partner, for a trusted being, someone, to share life itself, its joys and tribulations. Well, we all need to dance at times, even if we dance with the "greatest love of all" - our own strong, worthy inner souls.

If we recognize the need fora better side of humanity, if we take a giant step back from where we are now, morph that step back into a step forward, a giant, confident one, forward to a better place where we can all "be free", then we can certainly dance with all.

One day we will realize there are no capitalized people - no White, no Black, no Red, no Yellow, no Trans, no LGBTQ+, no separation, simply people. Let us rejoice in that knowledge and act upon it. Back that cake, serve the customer, treat the patient, respect all - and dance together.