A Valentine for Whitney

It seems so ironic that St. Valentine’s Day will always falls three days after the passing of Whitney Houston, right? The supreme balladeer had a career whose hits put a soundtrack to a whole generation of Americans’ love lives.

Her biggest hit, a cover of Dolly Parton’s “I Will Always Love You” was picked out by her co-star in The Bodyguard, Kevin Costner. The affectionate old friend of Whitney’s dropped the sweetest Valentine during an interview about his role in “Hidden Figures.”

“Some people weren’t happy that I picked Whitney Houston to be my love interest in The Bodyguard. And that I kissed her; who wouldn’t want to kiss her?”

I get a little annoyed when people bash Whitney, trash her memory, or write her off as nothing but a broke and burned out addict by the time she died. Tough world: I guess it would kill people to be respectful of someone whose talents brought us a lot of joy and inspiration; was a philanthropist; and whose support system was clearly not strong enough to repay her for the support she gave to others.

Costner’s compliment comes days after the world marked the fifth anniversary of her death, and news broke that the Black-owned cable channel TV One is producing a biopic about her only child, Bobbi Kristina. It must be a tough week for her surviving family members. Maybe this sweet comment will be a bright spot as they remember their “sweet miracle of Whitney.”