“To us, family means putting your arms
around each other and being there. – Barbara Bush
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2014 The Neighborhood
Song of the Year Nominee
new music by Jeremy Harrell
Dancing with a Broken Heart
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Barbara Bush:
Like Son, Like Mother
by Kendall F. Person
When my Grandmother died, whom I had a very close relationship with, it broke my heart. To me, she was the sweetest little lady I had ever did meet. She was from the old school if there ever was, for when her husband died 26 years before her, she would never remarry, for my Grandfather would be her only love. She would sit in church on Sundays, and listening to the word of God, would move her to tears every single time. But while I cannot imagine, I am certain that somehow and somewhere, she made a comment, that someone not only took offense to, but would judge her life for those words. And that is too bad, because the matriarch of the Walker Clan of the Rocky Mountains – a mother of 8 and grandmother of 31 – was a precious, dear sweet woman indeed, in which the legacy of her life should be aimed and measured.
Rocky Mountains by Sam Sommers
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“But why should we hear about body bags, and deaths, and how many, what day it’s gonna happen, and how many this or what do you suppose? Or, I mean, it’s, it’s not relevant. So, why should I waste my beautiful mind on something like that? And watch him suffer.” – Barbara Bush, pre Iraq War
It is almost as unfortunate as it is unexpected, our trip back down memory lane, when we are watching or listening to former President George W. Bush as out of office, he is a very likeable man. In a hours long interview with former President Bill Clinton, his forever smile and jovial demeanor conjure up false memories of the good ole days. It is not the bitterness once felt, when he ordered our soldiers in a march to overthrow the sovereign nation of Iraq, but rather the solemn wonder if he simply never gave it much thought, or if he screams in his sleep from all that blood on his hands. But there is no doubt, that his mother stood by his side (To us… family means being there); making her unfortunate beautiful mind statement, more about him.
Barbara Bush was the matriarch of an American political dynasty – only outranked by the Kennedy Clan. When her husband – George H.W. Bush – occupied the Oval Office, two of her sons were the governors of Florida and Texas. She was the First Lady during the successful beat back of Iraq from their invasion of Kuwait. And she too was left dangling by hanging chads, but she had a son in the race. Years before, she remained stoic, as she suffered under the idignity, when her husband lost a 3-way thriller in his bid for a 2nd term. And when the towers came down, that would forever change America, the pressure mounted, as it was her son that was President.
Through the highs and lows, however, First Lady Barbara Bush was a sign of class and remained beloved by most. With her hair seemingly always a ghost white, the affection was akin to love of our own grandmothers. But with only minor damage, her reputation survived the blowback from her 2003 comments during the lead up to the Iraq War, where in her mind she may have been simply protecting her son. But like son, like mother in 2005, Hurricane Katrina would finish the job and devour the reputations of both.
“And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this, this is working very well for them.” – Barbara Bush, referring to the Katrina victims of their living conditions in the Houston Astrodome.
Katrina’s Houston Astrodome
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But when Mrs. Bush took ill, and ultimately passed away, it reminded me of my own grandmother’s passing, and I thought how unfair; to base the entirety of her life on two missteps in which – while she never said it – was only trying to protect her kid, who was vilified for his performance, after katrina and due to the Iraq War.
Ninety-two when she died, living a long and happy life. She raised a very successful, close knit family and was loved in her role as a traditional first lady, which will forever define her legacy. Was she racist? No, she was not. Was she an elitist? Yes, most likely she was. But the only thing that matters now, is she served her country through her unyielding support of two Presidents during two wars.
RIP First Lady Barbara Bush
Texas Bluebonnet, Mrs. Bush’s favorite flower
this is... The Neighborhood 
I read this with a lot of interest. Kendall F. Person has a wonderful way with words and deep insights about many who make up America . Tanya Lester , blog: writing small.wordpress.com and tealeaf56.wordpress.com
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