Well, well, well, Kelly Rowland has finally admitted what we all have probably experienced or might even be dealing with now, the painstakingly difficult task of being 2nd to a shooting star, and all the internal madness that might come along with being sincerely happy for a person and having hurt feelings at the same time.

In her new single “Dirty Laundry” Kelly sings over a melodiously slow and sultry track about feeling a bit envious of her sister, friend and music mate Beyonce’. She also details being in an unhealthy relationship, hiding behind the mask of make-up and dark shades, being angry with the world and distancing herself from close loved ones. Whew, chile, when I read the lyrics after hearing the song I thought, “Bravo, Kelly, Bravo! If anybody’s going to tell your “beeswax” it might as well be you. And thank you for sliding some of my story in there too!”

In this day and age of transparency being used more than an elevator at the Empire State Building, it’s so refreshing to hear someone tell on herself for a change. So many of us want others to come clean about their actions, but don’t demand the same self-action. Our first focus should be on what’s in our Maytag or Whirlpool of life.

Watching the news while warming up breakfast, the word transparency was used three times in less than one minute talking about a recent political scandal, and demands from one group to another. That’s all well and good, but can we be honest about us before, during and after expecting someone to be honest with us? The spin cycle works multiple ways for a reason.

I know Ms. Kelly is not the only one to have felt “some kinda way” (as the millennial generation says) about having to watch someone she started out with end up further than her, and faster. I have interns that I trained years ago that are far, far more successful in passion and pay than I am. Don’t dare think the thought of “Wow, I am so very happy for him/her!!!!” hasn’t crossed my mind at the exact same time as, “What in the world?!?!? What did I do wrong? or Why not me?”  I know I’m not the only one that has thrown or attended baby showers, weddings, “I got a great new blah, blah, blah” celebrations and the likes of people who I love and care for with all my heart and still felt a concoction of what Frankie Beverly and Maze calls “Joy and Pain” as I dealt with my own Cover Girl covered up crises. (Truth be told, in my younger years, I even isolated myself from some that were happier than I, because I wasn’t mature enough to handle their success in the midst of whatever sorrow (or drama) I had going on. Now that’s some dirty laundry!)  Stinky feelings are human nature, people. They can happen to the best of us. What’s not okay is to stay stinkin’! We have to allow God’s guidance within us to show us those stinky feelings, clean them up appropriately, and use them to help someone else. Now get a whiff of that!

-Angela Moore