Egypt...Is Freedom in the Air?

We will be free. 

Were you taught by English teachers that Freedom is an abstract noun?

Were you taught by science professors that the air can not taste sweet?

Were you taught by acoustic teachers that the chants of the masses can not chime in sync?

Well... you were taught wrong. 

Freedom fills in the air in Tahrir square again, our square, Liberation square. The air is sweet and the chants are heavenly melodious. 

Our hearts flutter with the hopes of freedom yet again. Once more we, Egyptians, will naïvely try to overthrow dictatorship. I don't care whether we succeed or not. It's just that twenty years from now I want to be remembered among the ones who fought, among the ones who stood in the face of the tyrants, among the ones who refused to bow, among the ones who said to Islamists we are NOT afraid of your guns and your merciless hateful laws, among the ones who said to Morsi and the Muslim Brotherhood we are not afraid of you and your "clan."

Sultan Morsi the First

Sultan Morsi I

Hear Ye… Hear Ye…

By decree of his royal Sultan-ness, Morsi the First, Egypt has been declared a no-man’s land. Strike that. Egypt has been declared a no-woman’s land– and a bigot’s haven. Egypt under Morsi’ s reign is tumbling back into the dark ages and Egyptians are about to witness, first-hand, the innumerable pleasures of living and thriving under extremist, fascist, totalitarian rulers.

We have been offered a glimpse of the coming attractions of the years to follow. Between releasing convicted terrorists with innocent blood on their hands and hopping around Cairo giving religious sermons and address the nation exclusively from a mosque, Mr. President has really shown where his allegiances lie.

Actually, he has shown us more than that in his mere 82 days in power. He has shown us that an Egyptian president, no the only Egyptian president who has been “democratically” elected, can declare himself Sultan with little to no consequences at all. Not even one teeny tiny demonstration or reminder that the “revolution goes on.”

When did he declare himself Sultan? Oh, you missed it? I’m not surprised.
It was cleverly done and stealthily executed. Indeed, the work of a master mind (perhaps the “Architect”?) Morsi has declared himself beyond reproach. He is, after all, the Muslim scholar leading the Umma in prayer.

His royal Sultan-ness doesn’t tolerate jokes. He will send you straight to jail–or to Hell if that can be helped–for them.

He wants his subjects serious and worthy of his infinite wisdom and his invincible cunning.

You gotta give the guy a break though, he is traumatized by the amount of ridicule he was subjected to during his presidential race: his nickname was “Morsi El- Istebin” which literally translates to “Morsi the Spare Tire” but is meant as “Morsi the Second Best,” referring to his status as being El-Shater’ s (the Architect) replacement.  El-Shater is the Muslim Brotherhood’s main man, but his criminal record and a delayed pardon stood between him and the presidential. The Egyptian people had a few laughs at this, but still elected Morsi anyway.

But now, nobody’s laughing. Demonstrations have been outlawed and Egyptians continue to be oppressed and imprisoned for their beliefs. There are whispers in the streets that child marriage will be legalized, that the already-oppressed minorities will be no longer welcome, that the marginalized will be further pushed into destitute by his royal Sultan-ness’ capitalist plans.

The trouble is that his royal Sultan-ness is just getting warmed up…  

Egypt... Get Thee a Queen!

Watching the Queen's Diamond Jubilee has inspired me with the perfect solution for the political conundrum Egyptians have found themselves into. The solution is so simple, so brilliant, and so elegant that I'm surprised that none of the activists on the ground have thought of it.

Egypt needs not elect a president, since doing so seems to be so darn hard. Egypt needs to get itself a queen!

I'm not a royalist--last I checked anyway--but I see this as the ultimate solution for the leader-worshipping Egyptians out there who, unfortunately, form the majority of the voting pool. Most people are looking for something much more than a president. They are looking for a savior and a leader that will lead Egypt from the darkness to light. They want him strong, invincible, and all-powerfully capable of vaporizing his enemies should they ever dare to exist. They want someone they can adore and even God-ify.

Photo Credit: Wikipedia 

If you seek proof to such claims, look no further than the mysterious case of Hazem Abu Ismail. The charismatic sweet-talking Santa Claus figure who ran for presidency, gathered supporters, and spent millions of Pounds on electorial posters and banners despite knowing that his running for presidency inspite of his mother's American Nationality is in direct violation of the Egyptian Constitutional declaration which bans citizens with dual-national parents from running for presidency.  His supporters went crazy over him, many of them even to the point of pledging their life to him and threatening armed conflict if ever asks them for their support.

Hamdeen Worshipers 

Another, even more mysterious case, is  Hamdeen Sabahy, one of the leaders of the "old" (i.e.pre-revolution) opposition parties who had no popularity whatsoever and then , suddenly and mysteriously, rose to the spotlight. Now all you could hear is Hamdeen this , Hamdeen that. His worshippers liken him to his role-model, the late Gamal Abdel Nasser, who squandered Egypt's wealth on silly wars and died leaving a huge chunk of Egypt occupied, but is still, for some odd reason, worshipped by the masses.

Adore this Sucka!! 

Worshipping masses... listen up!

I hate to burst your bubble but... there is no savior, there is no deliverer, there is no champion! YOU are the champions.  Conscience  is the champion. No one person is ever the answer. The answer is a system. A system that is not self-righteous, but just. A system that can hold those in power accountable for the failings and mistakes. A system where no one in executive position is above the law.

But since Pharaoh worshipping has been sort of our "thing" since the dawn of time, then by all means, elect a cardboard queen... One you can admire, adore, and glorify all you want but let her hold no royal prerogative.

Does God Exist?

Does God exist?

You might think it strange, or philosophical, or even blasphemous—this question that all of us have whispered to ourselves one day, if only in the back of our heads close to where our subconscious lies. Does God exist?

I do have an answer—but my answer is deeply personal, deeply mine. Will it quench your thirst? I don’t know but I will share it. Maybe you’ll see some truth in. Maybe you’ll find in it something that is not in books of scriptures. And maybe it’ll reach a secret part of your soul—the part the affirmations of scholars could never find.

A while back a close friend of mine asked me, “Does God exist?”  I looked at him and smiled wondering whether I should fall into this trap.

In Egypt, you are not allowed to ask such questions, although everyone does— but dares not admit it.

And in Canada, to ask that question was to invite an unwelcome rhetoric of evolutionary and scientific talk that is grounded in the here and now and nothing beyond.

But my answer, my deep personal answer, is not as glamorous or as thorough as the eloquent rhetoric you would get from either camp. So I hesitated, not wanting to sound like a sentimental fool. But the look of genuine openness in my friend’s eyes compelled me, almost begged me, to answer.

“Yes, he does,” I said as casually as I could. “I am sure he does.”

“Why?” He said with a sigh expecting a lecture on how everything is by design and how the stunningly accurate engineering marvels of the universe point to the existence of an intelligent deity.

He was about to be disappointed.

“Because I feel him in my heart. I know he exists. And if it weren’t for him, I wouldn’t be alive today.” My friend was dumbfounded. My answer was not clever, was not witty, was not eloquent, but it was true. It was my answer as I have come to develop it over the years.

There were far too many dark corners in my life…far too many calamities…far too many disappointments to navigate on my own. If it weren’t for God’s grace, I would not have made it.

I remember that when I was a child, alone in my bed at night, I’d cry and cry and cry for hours on end. Nothing would stop the pain and the tears…except the knowledge, the peace I found inside my heart because God is here. God hears me. And God one day will take me home.

I was unloved as a child; abandoned by parents that didn’t want me. A mother who can’t give love because she has never known it herself and a father who equated parental responsibility solely with financial support. It was in God’s love that I found peace and hope.

Maybe you are persuaded to tell me that it was a little girl’s illusion. That God was nothing but a Santa Claus figure or a Fairy Godmother who kept a miserable kid hopeful.

I tell you that this little kid could not—would not—have made it through the dark times if God did not exist. He manifested himself to me, not just in my heart, but also in all the people who loved, protected, and nurtured me along the way. He protected me from my rashness and my naivety and  my self-destructive urge. He solved problems I never know could be solved. He worked out messes I saw no way out of. And in my bleakest darkest hour, it is my faith in him that was the glimmer of hope burning that kept me going.

This is how I know God exists.

And you... what is your personal answer to "Does God exist?"

Freedom: A New F-Word ?

Article first Published on BikyaMasr


I'll let you in on a little secret. When I was a dreamy teenaged my parents --especially my dad-- itched when they heard the word Freedom. 


And I believe that most, if not all, Egyptian and Middle Eastern parents still shudder in fear when they here their young one speaking of their demands for Freedom.


"FREEEEEE???? What do you meant you want to be FREEEE?" A parent from our culture always says. 


"Do you want to be homosexual? Do you want to have sex? To do drugs?? Istaghfaro 'llah *asking God for forgiveness*" The parent usually breaks down into tears at this point. "What have I done to deserve such a child? God help me! Why can't you be more like me at your age huh?"


One said parent might've even had a normal adolescence with mistakes that they hate to admit. And if you were ever to confront them they'd say: "well, I want to you to be better than me. I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did." 


The examples are many. But one very common and almost ubiquitous example is the hijabi and/or Niqabi mama who forces the islamic dress on her daughter. 


The mother who, in her day, wore whatever she pleased and dated the guy she eventually married asks her daughter to "cover it all" and abstain from even talking to boys. 


"My parents were not very religious so they didn't teach me right from wrong. But I'll be DAMNED if I watch you be promiscuous!" This, naturally, reads "Do whatever you want as long you're sneaky enough to fool me."


To most of the 'older' generations, Freedom is promiscuity and promiscuity is the root of all evil. 


And the pseudo-liberals we have roaming round in the land of the Nile have a curious way of fighting for Freedom. They offer up assurances that when granted our freedom, we will be good boys and gals and use it properly and respect the social norms and rules and what have you. 
HA!
Freedom, people, is the right to be FREE. To choose your way and find that spark in your soul that's worth living for.


Those who deny us our Freedom do nothing, other than frustrate. Because whether they like it or not, or want to admit or not, we ARE free. Each and every one of us is free to wake up and go rob a bank, or kill our neighbor, or chop our ex in tiny morsels. But we don't because we CHOOSE not to, because we accept moral responsibility and cherish righteousness, at least most of the time. 


And this is precisely why we, as opposed to animals, are responsible for our acts before God. God gave Adam and Eve Freedom the moment he gave them Free Will. He told them not to eat the Forbidden Fruit but left the tree right there in front of them. Their test, as is ours, is fighting temptation. 


So dear Salafi Wahabis or whatever you can call yourself today, please remember that, in the words of William Wallace (aka. Braveheart), you can take away our lives, but you can't take away our freedom!

Omar Sharif Jr. First Egyptian to Ever Come Out

Omar Sharif Jr Twitter Avatar 

Omar Sharif Jr. grandson to international actor Omar Sharif and Egyptian actress Fatin Hamama just published an article in which he officially comes out of the closet and identifies himself as "half jew" because his maternal grandparents were both Jewish.


I believe that most Egyptians will merely regard him as a the male counterpart of Aliaa El Mahdy, the girl who got nekkid for a photo shoot on her blog. But since Aliaa had some boob to show the hungry male audience, her blog went viral in a matter of a few hours.

Omar Sharif's pictures are less provocative and well, let's face it homosexuality is hands down (no pun intended) THE biggest taboo in Egypt, and perhaps all of the Arab world.

Omar is, as far as I know, the first Egyptian to ever identify himself as gay. i doubt that he will find support among Egypt's pseudo liberals, because no one in Egypt would want to be caught dead supporting homosexuality. Homophobia is identified as the accepted social norm around here, and the treatment that the 'unholy' homosexuals deserve.

What I find most astonishing is that Omar Sharif Jr. identifies himself as Egyptian. Most gay Egyptians I know that got the chance to skip town and acquire another nationality have completely denounced their Egyptian-ness--but not Omar. He even thinks he can come back to Egypt and be welcomed here one day.

Omar Sharif Jr. says that he writes this article as a "litmus test" calling for a reaction from his fellow Egyptians. He wonders if he is welcome in Egypt.

What do you think?

George Clooney Arrested in a Protest: Just Like Egypt?

Yes. We're talking about THE George Clooney, super star and dedicated human rights activist. He was arrested while protesting in front of the Sudanese Embassy the inhumane mass murder and genocide in the Nuba mountains. That's the Nuba mountains in Sudan, not the Egyptian Nuba of course.

PHOTO: REUTERS

George Clooney was arrested like any common protestor--except of course for the fact that hundreds of cameras were recording every second of the arrest. Now, I can hear all the pro-tyranny people in Egypt rejoicing: "Seeee! In your face! Protestors get A-R-R-E-S-T-E-D even in the United States of America. So quit blaming our most beloved Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) for arresting protestors!"

I hate to burst your bubble O' you anti-protest peeps. Mr Clooney was arrested for an act of civil disobedience: he and the other protestors were blocking the entrance to the Sudanese embassy. The police warned them three times not to cross "the police line" and when they did, police officers on site arrested George Clooney and a few other activists. George Clooney &Co were taken away in plastic handcuffs (also known as Zip Ties) and they continued their chanting against the criminal Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir.

George Clooney had planned this protest, and knew that they will be arrested. Clooney knew that the arrest of a mega star like him would bring his cause to attention. So he accepted the cuffs willingly.

Mohamed Hassan: Even the Poor should donate to 'save the economy'

And to compare this to the sad situation of Egyptian Super Star Sheikhs such as Mr. Mohammed Hassan who rally for their cause by asking poor people to donate to it, you begin to understand where my undying appreciation for George Clooney comes from.

Even though many people would just disregard this arrest as a 'media stunt.' I like it, because it is a stunt that works.

Now, thousands of people worldwide will google George Clooney's arrest and try to find out more about why he did. Thousands of people will now know that somewhere in Africa, Omar Al-Bashir is murdering and starving the People of the Nuba Mountains. And if this is how Clooney uses his fame and stardom, then all the power to him.

Egyptian Women: Choose Your Role Model

How did Egyptian women celebrate on International Women Day?

In fact, who celebrated "International Women's Day" in Egypt? 

Well, I didn't; and in my opinion no one in the Land of the Nile should ever celebrate any feminist-related event or anything remotely promoting freedom and equality. 

Why? 

The answer is quite simple because in the Land of the Pharaohs there is nothing for women to celebrate--nothing at all. 

Because in Egypt, the choices for women are not only limited, but ridiculous and pathetic. 

They say that Egypt is a conservative country where women are required to adhere to certain norms or else they will be shunned by society. 

Huh! Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that in Egypt for women, as it is for men and even school children, there is only one choice: bow down, or else face the consequences. 

International society--and local activists--worry what "Islamists" will do to women and their freedom, while in fact everyone should be mourning the choices Egyptian women have the Military rule. 

If you want to know what career paths and life choices Egyptian women have nowadays, please refer to the picture below:

1.Marwa(with certificate of recognition) 2.Samira after her molestor walked free 3.Tahrir Girl stripped and Beaten

You can either look up to  Marwa, the Ministry of Interior babe (or any other plastically-enhanced dolled-up over-sexualized male toy) where you make it your life's work to please men of all paths of life by being merely eye candy. Then you will be decorated and celebrated for 'raising the morale' of troops and policemen. 

Mind your own business until your misfortune puts you in the wrong place at the wrong time In which case you will be arrested by the military where you will be molested by a pathetic excuse of a doctor to check if you are a "good girl" and have your hymen. Then, you chicken out of reporting (most of the girls who have had these virginity tests performed on them) and life in shame. If you are hero material (like Samira Ibrahim in the picture), you will stand up for your rights, only to get shamed further and have a judge set your oppressor free. 

There is also the tantalizing option available to Egyptian women and girls of all ages, religions, and all walks of life: getting a good ol' beating-and-stripping a la 'Tahrir Girl Style.' Where your islamic dress won't protect you and your abbaya will not elicit the sympathy of your fellow Islamists. 

So, until further notice, if you'd like to live happily in Egypt, get thee to a Lebanese Plastic Surgeon!

P.S. This blogpost was brought to you by Plastic-Surgeons-Are-Us and Armed-Rulers-of-Egypt

Frustrated Ministry of Interior Wives Thank Effervescent Sex Kitten For Getting it Up

Shown below is one of Egypt's highly acclaimed sex kittens and "soft", in body as in performance, porn stars receiving a Certificate of recognition from the National Police Wives Association. 

Her most acclaimed song titled  "I gotta say it darlin' you ain't gettin' it up" is a master feminist piece where a woman, with a barely there nightgown, twists and churns as her husband fails to "get it up" and complains that "he can't do it no more" then embarks on a series of attempts to help get it up through x-rated Oohas and Aaahs and bottom wiggling worthy of the playboy mansion.

Apparently, her efforts were so wildly successful among the population of police officers, who perhaps were a tad too limp down there, that the Police Wives Association decided to award Marwa a certificate of "Achievement and gratitude"  for, and I am quoting here for "all her efforts in boosting the morale of police officers." HA! 

The accomplished singer is grinning in the picture below holding the quasi-official certificate in one hand and the Quran in the other. The Police Wives have apparently also given her the holy book because they want her safe and sound and protected from the notorious evil eye. After all, what would frustrated police wives do without her.

Marwa No-Last-Name and Recognition certificate from MOI frustrated wives

Misogyny in Egypt: More than Attitudes

A few days ago I came across a disgusting picture on Facebook (and of course it has many), but this particular one had hit a chord. It was a picture that portrayed Egypt in a sort of damsel in distress situation where a ghoulish hairy hand in trying to strip her naked in the name of freedom. 
And who was that freedom ghoul? You guessed it! 
The United States of America and its alter ego (NGOs), Israel, Youth of the 6 of April movement (pro democracy group of kick ass Egyptian activists, and the news services which regularly cover violations by thugs of the Egyptian government).

The misogyny and patriarchy of the general Egyptian population is now used for political propaganda.

Here is the offensive picture (the translation is mine.) Look at the shaming and xenophobic messages implied! Outrageous!

 They like to portray Egypt as a woman, because they want to keep her 'covered', facts and all. They want to shame freedom seekers into submission and call upon the "men" of the country to protect their so called honor.  Just as they do when want to incite sectarian violence

Well, I say shame on them! And their women-belittling ways! 

My New Work from Home in Egypt Website

As evident by the title, I've started a new blog Work From Home in Egypt
(fair warning: it's in Arabic ;) )

I have been wanting to relay my experiences as work from home mom and as a work from home freelance writer for quite some time. This another side of me less glamorous albeit more practical that I feel can benefit many of the moms (or dads or students) looking to explore the lifestyle and look for hints.

I started it our in Arabic because there are no websites or blogs that offer help to Egyptian people in their native tongue, and many of them prefer to read information that way. If I could only help

The blog will discuss work from home opportunities in general, and writing in particular. It will also talk about bid sites, with a focus on the website I have most experience with: Odesk. So, the Odesk tips and hints will be quite extensive over time.

If you could benefit from the tips in Work From Home Blog or know someone that will please spread the love.

Salafism has Never Been More Happenin'

Costa Salafis: "We always Pay Our Dues" Adaption of Costa's Logo

You don't know what Salafism is? Join the club! Almost no one did, until January 25th revolution sparked interest in this lesser known term describing a non-defined group of Suni Muslims whose aim is to strictly adhere to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him,)

Salafism, as a movement, was so obscure to me that I had to actually look up the term in My Oxford English Dictionary when I started to hear more and more about the bunch. The definition read that Salafism was a strictly orthodox Muslim sect advocating adherence to early Islam and the Prophet's teachings. Huh? Isn't that what all Muslims do (the Sunni ones anyway)?

So far so good, I thought. What sets Salafis apart is their fundamentalist approach, their strict interpretation of the texts (Koran and Sharia'). It is Islamic fundamentalism then. As time went by, however, it became obvious that the word Salafi became euphemism for bigot. As in "Ahhhh! He's a Salafiiist!" *eyes rolling* "You can expect anything from that bunch."

And then came a most progressive-- and hilarious-- group of Salafi-activists who call themselves "Salafyo Costa" Salafyo is the Classical Arabic word for Salafis, and Costa--well, Costa is your friendly Capitalist Coffee Franchise down the corner. They are a bunch of young hip and happenin' revolutionists who are, incidentally, Salafis.

They are progressive, modern, and very charming. All in all, they chatter any preconceived notion one might have about  Islamists in general  and Salafis in particular.

They are also  politically active and community-oriented.

One of their latest excursions was a trip to the village in Ameriya district where the latest sectarian crisis took place. (If you need a refresher on that click here) They came up with a relatively thorough independent report on what went down. And by relatively I mean a loose adaptation of tell-tales and hearsay from the village. Still though, it is the initiative that counts.

If you read Arabic check out their Facebook page: Salafyo Costa
and watch them on YouTube:  Salafyo Costa's Channel

Rule of Law and Lawlessness in Resolving Sectarian Conflicts in Egypt

This is yet again another post about another "conflict" in Egypt, the Land of unfortunate events about a topic all too familiar: conflicts sectarian in appearances but cultural in essence. Unlike the events that transpired in May of 2011, this particular incidence has not deteriorated into a church burning one. Instead,  Coptic (Egyptian Christian) families are facing deportation out of their own village and the seizing and forceful selling of their homes, lands and cattle.

And the reason.... *drum roll please*.... You guessed it! Yet another mixed-religion affair. A Muslim gal had a consensual sexual relationship with a christian dude, and apparently they also indulged in the risque behavior of filmingه and/or taping their heinous acts. (Who would do that in rural Egypt? Yeah I know!!)

Muslim Men of Shirbat Village, in the Ameria County, have reportedly held a "tribal tribunal Council" to look into "the matter"; and they have concluded that it was best that the involved Coptic families be deported out of the village--their land and properties sold by the Sheikhs of the village.

And my question is: WHERE is the law in all this? Why are eight (in some accounts six) families ordered out of their village over this anyway? And most importantly when are men going to stop turning matters of  female sexual freedom into feuds? I am afraid that I know the answer. For Egypt, this is not going to happen anytime soon.

Activists talking to Parliamentary Members

 The Supreme Council of Armed forces, and their Commander-in-Chief Mubarak before, have given us headache after headache with their "lawful" rule and the importance of order. They even warned that "revolutionaries" seek to spread anarchy and chaos . 

Well, this looks like chaos alright! Where is the law? The police stood and watched as these people were forced to walk away from everything they hold dear. And the Parliament refused to intervene until marches organized by human rights activists proved to the esteemed PMs that the Egyptian people were not about to tolerate this kind of prejudice.

 As the fate of the families remains undecided, I do hope that they are allowed to safely go home --not only for their sake, but for us all.

Goodbye Whitney Houston: The Day The Music Died

I spent hours crying this morning after I heard the news.

"Goodbye...goodbye Whitney Houston!" I said, sobbing in my parked car. Now, let me make it clear that I am no 'fan girl' and not that easily moved by news of the demise of the rich and famous celebrities. I did not cry when Michael Jackson died, nor did I stop and ponder upon his addiction, his tragedy or his death. But, Whitney? Whitney is a whole different ballgame.

Whitney Houston- May She Rest in Peace

I grew up listening to Whitney, like I had been listening to Michael. But Whitney was the epitome of strength. Whitney was the woman I wanted to grow up to become. Whitney was beauty and elegance. Whitney was romance and the love I wished to have. Whitney was an embodiment of talent I could only dream of having. Whitney sang the soundtrack to my first love story. Whitney's voice carried me through and through, times and times again.  Whitney wasn't just a celebrity to me, fallible and flawed. Whitney was "every woman." She embodied everything a woman should be. Everything I ever wanted to be.

And herein lies the tragedy. I thought that Whitney, being accomplished, successful and beautiful and all, was happy. To find out that she was on drug was the ultimate shock to me, like a child thinking their parent had it all together only to find out that this is far from true. And to find out that she died, I was crushed with sadness. This came at a time where I was weighed down with dreary philosophical wonderings of the soul, and revisited existential  dilemmas; the sort of thing that can happen often with many dead and dying all around me on the streets of Cairo.

Then, her sweet voice came back to me. "If I should die this very day, don't cry because on this earth we weren't meant to stay." And I cried some more.

This is precisely our conundrum, we aren't staying. None of us are. But we all act like we are, and because of that, the void consumes us all. We think that if  only we were prettier, if only were thinner, if only we had more money or fame or lovers, we would finally be happy...finally be free.

But the sad truth of it is—none of it matters. 

So many people had it all, and yet had nothing. We keep seeing that time and time again, but are we ready to wake up?

Maybe we should be less concerned with how much we have and how good we look and even how happy we are because , indeed, "on Earth we weren't meant to stay."  And our end may be sooner than we think. After all, she was only 48.

Whitney you will be missed, and you will sure never be forgotten. Between "I wanna dance with somebody" and "My love is Your Love", Whitney, you were indeed every woman.

May you rest in peace.