Why Whitney Houston's "Greatest Love of All" Lyrics are My Personal Anthem

I grew up with Whitney Houston in song as she approached worldwide stardom in the 1980s. She seems to know the right words to sing at the right time, my young, impressionable mind thought. Despite substance misuse that reportedly contributed to Whitney's demise, I still remember the positive messages in her lyrics.

My history of unhealthy attachments started in childhood, and it continued until long after adulthood. I always go back to the "Greatest Love of All" in between each toxic relationship I've ever had. Learning to love myself might not be as "easy to achieve" as the lyrics of this song suggest, but it helps me not give up on "true love."

My Earliest Memory of Whitney Houston and How the "Greatest Love of All" Still Inspires Me 30+ Years Later

My earliest memory of black pop icon Whitney Houston is skating to “Greatest Love of All” at a roller rink when I was 11 years old. To this day, the words of this song ring in my head because I have “decided long ago not to walk in anyone’s shadows.”

That song inspired me to carry onward as I endured every kind of abuse imaginable when living at home with my parents. I’m now almost 47. If Whitney was available for a face-to-face conversation, I’d let her know that I still do my best to abide by her message sung in "Greatest Love of All."

(Scroll to end of this article to learn more about the origin of this song.)

The “Greatest Love of All” song always reminds me to love myself even if no one else will love me the way I want or need.

The lyrics encompass all that I wish my own mom would have told me as a child including that she loved me just the way I was even if I didn’t always succeed at every attempt.

She meant well by making me stay up all night correcting my math homework, but in the end, I feel like she was doing it for her not me – to protect her fragile image – because if I perform well, it makes her look good. It wasn’t just my mom, however, that didn’t encourage me the way I needed as a child.

The "Greatest Love of All" also comforted me even though my dad frequently pushed my anxiety to the limit with wanting me to be a “straight A” student, and I never did quite make the mark.

Believe me, I tried. I studied my tail off an average of 3-4 hours a night just to maintain a 2.5 grade average. After more than 8 years of him pressuring me to achieve school marks higher than I’m capable, I had enough. My dad laid off about my grades when I reminded him that he had committed a multitude of sexual abuse acts on me since I was 10 years old. It took me more than three decades after this to find out how much effect his abuse had on my school and work performance.

The message in "Greatest Love of All" gives me the missing ingredient that I still live by today – love myself and find my strength in love when feeling lonely even if I never find my “hero.”

When I say “hero,” I mean, it would be nice to find a man who wants to rescue me without feeling like he has to control my comings, goings or career. In the end, I always lean on the “strength in love” to make it through life even if the only true love I have is what I provide for myself that no person -- neither my parents nor a romantic partner -- has ever been able to give me so far.

The "Greatest Love of All" tells me to "live as I believe" whether I fail or succeed.

The unstable living environment I endured for 18 years had a negative effect on me from birth. It’s part of the reason that attempting healthy adult relationships comes as a challenge to me. It also could explain why it always seemed to take me longer than other classmates to finish my school assignments.

After about 20 years on my own, I found out about a possible undiagnosed learning disability, which could explain why I never had “straight A’s” like my dad wanted. No matter the reason why I could never make the kinds of grades my parents hoped I would, understanding myself helps me accept me as who I am. No matter “If I fail, If I succeed” I continue to carry on and “live as I believe.”

I still don’t know if I have a disability. However, I do know that I struggle with depression and anxiety that causes me to make mistakes under pressure at work. Unprocessed post-traumatic stress symptoms often cripples my personal relationships too.

No matter how well I perform in school or on the job, I do wonder. According to whose barometer have I failed or succeeded in life?

It’s because of the “Greatest Love of All” lyrics that help me celebrate every accomplishment.

Even if it’s a small as fighting the urge to stay in bed all day, it counts as success to me. If I can make a difference in just one person’s life at work or when interacting in social situations just for a few moments, I'm fulfilled.

Did Whitney achieve the "Greatest Love of All" that she used to sing about on stage?

Disappointment, shock and awe struck me every time I remember first hearing about her substance misuse problem. She just never seemed like the type to struggle with this. Then, I find out she and her daughter, Bobbi Kristina, both died in bathtub drownings. In these two instances, drugs were found in the system whether a primary cause of death or not.

"Even after Whitney and her daughter's death, I've sung this song on Karaoke. I still believe in its lyrics. After all, the song is about loving yourself and believing in yourself no matter what happens."

I find it hard to believe that someone as inspirational as Whitney Houston and her daughter could die like this. However, it reminds me that no one is perfect. Even after Whitney and her daughter's death, I've sung this song on Karaoke. I still believe in its lyrics. After all, the song is about loving yourself and believing in yourself no matter what happens.

Besides, I don't know them that well other than seeing them on stage, in TV productions or the movies, or in the news. Only they as well as the people closest to them know the circumstances leading up to their deaths.

"I believe both Whitney and her daughter lived up to the 'Greatest Love of All' the best they could. That's what I also choose to do no matter what."

In some cases, we all battle toxic people who try to ruin us. This doesn't mean that we don't love ourselves at the core. I believe both Whitney and her daughter lived up to the "Greatest Love of All" the best they could. That's what I also choose to do no matter what, because none of us are promised tomorrow.

The "Greatest Love of All" Helps Me Forgive Myself and Family

In my mom's defense, she always had to deal with my dad.

I find myself putting people like Whitney Houston or preachers, teachers or politicians I admire on a pedestal. Every time I meet a new romantic interest, I might idealize them for a season as well. This happens because I keep searching for what I wished I would have had as a child.

Then, the bomb hits. I find out people like Whitney Houston or even my own mom are not perfect. I don't know Whitney that well but heard that her husband, Bobby Brown, assaulted her. In my mom's defense, she always had to deal with my dad who also did assault her numerous times.

Remembering how toxic my dad was helps me remember how one person doing evil can affect those around them. Even in the case of my dad, I know his dad abused him even worse than he did to my mom, my brothers and me. Therefore, the "Greatest Love of All" helps me absolve other people from the responsibility of loving me. It also helps me forgive any abuse or neglect they inflicted upon me.

In the case of romantic lovers who always seemed to keep me at arm's length, the "Greatest Love of All" helps me forgive myself and them.

I've had way too much time on my hands lately. It's because I don't remember what it's like to be single and have to live alone. Until about six months ago, I spent more than a decade distracting myself with one toxic romance after another.

In just about every case, I felt rejected and abandoned even if I was the one who ended the relationship. This led to me expressing my outrage of feeling used sexually by each one of them. However, I do remember that I never intended on dating for marriage in the first place, so I know I must forgive myself and them.

The "Greatest Love of All" Leads me to a "Lonely Place" Temporarily but Hope it will Lead me to Lasting True Love

Ironically, the "Greatest Love of All" lyrics remind me that I need to do what I should have done in my late 20s -- spend time alone until I'm ready for marriage. This leads me to a "lonely place" right now that I hope is worth it. I've avoided being alone since 2004 after plans to be married then feel apart.

After nearly six months of living by myself for the first time in more than 15 years, I'm already hating the idea of being single. It just seems so backward to me right now that in order to be ready for marriage that I have to stop dating for a while. However, I have to remember the drama that let me to this decision.

If I'm feeling more stable while living by myself, then that's what I need to do for now. I haven't given up on romance, however. I do hope that I will have the chance to experience the kind of healthy, true love expressed in "Greatest Love of All" for someone besides myself. Here's to hoping!

Interest Facts about the "Greatest Love of All" Lyrics

Linda Creed reportedly wrote it while battling breast cancer, and Michael Masser produced it. Whitney Houston believed in it so much, that she sang it with conviction. It was originally intended for children such as myself who needed the advice that the song gave.

Whitney also said that she longed for role models throughout life. In general, the song also describes the need to "develop love for themselves." Otherwise, people can get lost in life's struggles.