Being around people like Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, Dionne Warwick and Roberta Flack, all these greats, I was taught to listen and observe. Whitney Houston More Quotes by Whitney Houston More Quotes From Whitney Houston I broke my heart for every gain, to taste the sweet I faced the pain. Whitney Houston pain sweet inspirational Never let your heart take precedence over reason, otherwise you will have problems. Whitney Houston problem reason heart I'm either my best friend or my worst enemy. Whitney Houston worst-enemy my-best-friend friendship I'm good where I am at this moment. Whitney Houston moments I know that I could really kill for my daughter. I know because I'm living for her, so I'm fierce when it comes down to it. And I feel the same about my husband and my family. I'm just fiercely protective. It's like, that's my lair and nobody messes with my lair. Whitney Houston fierce daughter husband My mother sang with me in her stomach; I sang with Bobbi Kris in my stomach. I believe the child starts to develop within, and whatever you read, whatever you think, whatever you do affects the child. Whitney Houston mother believe children I was aware of people staring at me. No one moved. They seemed almost in trance. I just stared at the clock in the center of the church. When I finished, everyone clapped and started crying. Whitney Houston cry church people I wanted to be a teacher. I love children, so I wanted to deal with children. Then I wanted to be a veterinarian. But by the age of ten or eleven, when I opened my mouth and said, 'Oh, God, what's this?' I kind of knew teaching and being a veterinarian were gonna have to wait. Whitney Houston teaching teacher children Let the children's laughter remind us how we used to be. Whitney Houston laughter happiness children I believe the children are our future Whitney Houston our-future believe children I'm proud of being a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a sister, and a lover and a friend We're all God's children. Whitney Houston daughter mother children I'm not crazy about arenas just because I can sell them out. It doesn't do anything for my ego at all. I want to play places where people don't have to sit in the nosebleed seats and wonder what the hell is going on. Whitney Houston crazy play people I'm an old-fashioned girl. And I love gospel. I like things that lift me up, inspire me. Whitney Houston old-fashioned girl inspire I've read about myself and my husband and my family, to the point where they've called my parents, they've called my brothers, offering money to tell stories. They call friends of mine. I'd just like for them to just ... don't badger us. Don't scrutinize us. We have children and they have to live, too. It's not fair. Whitney Houston husband brother children You get that love from the people. It lets me know that all the madness I go through, all the stuff that the business has to offer with all its madness; it makes it worthwhile. Whitney Houston madness stuff people I've turned down a lot of arena dates because I've done the big-arena thing. Now, I want to do something where people can feel me and I can feel them. Whitney Houston done want people I don't like it when they [media critics] see me as this little person who doesn't know what to do with herself -- like I have no idea what I want, like I'm just a puppet ... That's demeaning to me, because that ain't how it is, and it never was. Whitney Houston puppets media ideas Growing around great musicians, you just can't help it. I identified with it immediately. It was something that was so natural to me that when I started singing, it was almost like speaking. Whitney Houston growing musician singing My name is not Susan, so watch what you say. If you still need her, then be on your way. Whitney Houston names relationship watches She's my teacher, my adviser, my greatest inspiration. Whitney Houston daughter mom teacher