Whitney and Bobbi Kristina - An Inseparable Bond

As is the mother, so is her daughter. Ezekiel 16:44

Like Whitney Houston, I have an only daughter with whom I share a bond so strong that no force can separate us. Maybe that’s why the news of Bobbi Kristina Brown’s death, so close on the heels of her mother’s, touched a deep cord of sorrow in my heart.

I lost my own mother when I was thirty and the loss knocked me to the ground.  It took me years to come to terms with my mother’s passing and at times I still find myself groping in the dark for that wisdom and unconditional love that only a mother can give. So I can only imagine the force of the blow losing her mother dealt to the twenty-two year old Bobbi Kristina. 

Like the bond between Houston and Bobbi Kristina, my daughter and I share a bond borne from the trials of living in a world that seems to be spinning more and more out of control.  Some of the challenges I shared in common with Houston include holding down a demanding job while parenting my daughter (though, of course, my wages were considerably less than hers); going through painful divorces and break ups with husbands and boyfriends while trying to teach my daughter how to avoid the pitfalls of dating and marriage; attempting to resist the temptations of alcohol and illegal drugs in a world where they are so readily available.

Fortunately, my daughter and I did not have to go through these trials in the limelight of the public eye, which I’m told magnifies situations by quantum leaps.  We were also fortunate to be able to draw from the well of my mother’s and grandmothers’ wisdom which continuously guided us. The churches we belonged to were beacons of light which pointed us to higher ground. And we had family, friends and community members who counseled and encouraged us along the way. No one really knows why the traditional systems failed Houston and Bobbi Kristina. Maybe the lights of stardom are just too bright for some to endure.

In every human tragedy there are lessons to be learned.  Whether we like it or not, as mothers we are role models and examples for our young.  They consciously and subconsciously emulate our behavior. The best we can do is give them a strong foundation, teach them basic values, and reach toward our own higher selves. In doing so, we give them coping mechanisms that will help sustain them when they are faced with the ultimate reality.

I believe that Houston and Bobbi Kristina are together once again. Perhaps it was Houston who called her beloved “Krissy” home so she would no longer suffer. As we grieve their passing, the best we can do is appreciate the gifts of song they left us, honor their memories, and keep them in our prayers.