"The biggest devil is me. I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy," Houston told ABC's Diane Sawyer in an infamous 2002 interview with Brown by her side.
Today we mourn the loss of one of the world's brightest stars, the infamous Whitney Houston who had known what it was to be her own "best friend" and sadly died at the hands of her own "worst enemy" -
To what extent are we also our own "best friend" and our own "worst enemy"?
As I reflect on this question, I come to the conclusion that it is arguably what we learn to pay attention to. Do we pay attention to the possibilities that are before us, to the talents, gifts and strengths that we have been blessed with or do we pay attention to the lack of opportunity, the weaknesses and struggles we encounter?
How can we develop friendship with ourselves?
What would it be like if we could learn to give ourselves the benefit of the doubt? to be kinder to ourselves when we struggle, more forgiving of ourselves when we fail? What would it be like if we could learn to genuinely celebrate our successes without feeling the need to be "self-effacing" in the name of humility - or at least what we have come to understand humility to mean? What would it be like if in the words of Marianne Williamson we could in an unconscious way "let our own light shine"? -
I think Houston's self understanding and awareness at some levels reflects the daily struggle we all encounter. We all have the potential to be our own "best friend" and our own "worst enemy" and the good news on this otherwise sad day, is that we have a choice.
What will you choose?
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