The Enforcer Can Now Rest

No matter what one might think of her or her family’s political leanings, it is clear that Barbara Bush was well-loved by many people on both sides of the aisle. What’s not to love? Married 73 years to the same man, raised 6 children and sadly lost another to leukemia, Mrs. Bush embodied loyalty, commitment, passion, courage, strength, and grace. Often lovingly referred to as The Enforcer, she raised a family that believes in the importance of giving back, and while not perfect, Mrs. Bush knew who she was and unconditionally stood by her family with love and support that only she could give.She once said, “What you see with me is what you get.” I’m a lot like that too, and maybe that’s why I admire her so much. Mrs. Bush’s ability to gracefully and unapologetically be who she was, without making others wrong in the process, served her, her family, and our country well. She was a force to be reckoned with and her no-nonsense way of being will be sorely missed.Now, I don’t pretend to know everything there is to know about Barbara Bush or even a fraction of it, for that matter, but I can say this, she was clearly an incredible human being. Of all the quotes attributed to her that I’ve read over the last day, the following is my favorite:

“Cherish your human connections. At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a child, a friend or a parent.” ~Barbara Bush

Mrs. Bush knew what was important and lived it every single day, and my great hope is that her legacy of strength and courage lasts well beyond the current 24/7 news coverage of her life and death. Fly high, Mrs. Bush. You did good.