Sad But Not Surprising

1986. I remember sitting in the back of the blue van on the way to school. I was belted in between fellow West Side friends. Without fail, the radio was on. Maybe the music soothed the driver, and kept him sane, drowning out the youthful chirping behind him. Or maybe he just liked to listen.

I remember hearing one song over and over. A Whitney song.

I believe the children are the future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.

I remember loving the lyrics. Even though I was very young and probably didn't know what they meant.

Twenty odd years later. I am no longer that child on the back of the bus. But I still remember the lyrics. All of them. I still love them and I probably still don't know what they mean.

She was only 48. For some reason, I thought she was much older.

When I heard the news, I thought: That's sad. Really sad, but not surprising.

It's early. None of us knows what happened. But I imagine many of us have a hunch.

Sad. Really really sad.

Were you saddened or surprised when you heard the news? Do you agree that it somehow makes her death even more sad because it was not entirely surprising? Do you think she seemed older than 48? Do you think it was a coincidence that she passed the day before the Grammy Awards? Where were you when you heard your first Whitney song?