Barbara Bush Quotes

Powerful Barbara Bush for Daily Growth

About Barbara Bush

Barbara Pierce Bush, born on June 8, 1925, in New York City, was an American first lady (1989-1993) as the wife of President George H.W. Bush. As a writer, she was known for her wit and compassion, reflecting in her works that focused on family values, literacy, and volunteerism. Bush attended the prestigious private girls' school, the Chapin School, and later continued her education at Smith College. She married George H.W. Bush in 1945, following his return from World War II, and together they had six children: George W., Pauline (Robin), John Ellis (Jeb), Neil, Marvin, and Dorothy (Doro). Barbara Bush's life was significantly influenced by her faith, family, and love for reading. Her dedication to literacy led her to establish the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy in 1989. The foundation aimed to empower families by providing educational resources, focusing on parents and their children learning together. In 1990, she published "Barbara Bush: A Memoir," offering insights into her personal life, political journey, and beliefs. Her honesty and candor in the memoir endeared her to many Americans. In 1994, Bush co-authored "Reflections of a Gadfly" with Carl Sagan's widow, Ann Druyan, discussing their shared experiences as first lady and widow, respectively. Bush's public life was marked by her advocacy for literacy, education, AIDS awareness, and volunteerism. She often spoke out about the importance of character and kindness, earning her the nickname "The Enforcer of Decorum" for maintaining a sense of decorum in the White House. Barbara Bush passed away on April 17, 2018, leaving behind a rich literary legacy and an enduring impact on American politics and culture. Her dedication to family, service, and literacy will continue to inspire future generations.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"To us, family means nobility, not rank."

In this quote, Barbara Bush suggests that a person's sense of nobility or worth comes from their familial relationships, rather than any formal title or status in society (rank). For her, the values of love, compassion, and unity within a family make an individual truly noble. It underscores the idea that a strong, loving family creates individuals who carry themselves with dignity and grace, regardless of their position in life.

"At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not 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."

This quote emphasizes the importance of prioritizing personal relationships over professional achievements when considering one's life priorities. The sentiment is that at the end of our lives, we won't regret missed opportunities for work-related success, but rather time not spent with loved ones—family members, spouses, friends, and parents. It encourages us to value meaningful connections above career accomplishments as these are the aspects that truly enrich our lives and memories.

"The only precious resource that we can't make more of is time."

This quote by Barbara Bush emphasizes the uniqueness and irreplaceable value of time. Unlike other resources such as money or materials, we cannot create more time. As time marches forward, it is a non-renewable resource that we must use wisely. The message encourages us to appreciate the importance of every moment and to make the most of our time in life, as there are no second chances for wasted days.

"I think the biggest thing in the world would be to teach children to love reading. If more young people could love reading, it would change their lives."

Barbara Bush's quote emphasizes the transformative power of reading on young people's lives. By nurturing a love for reading, we can provide them with knowledge, broaden their perspectives, foster imagination, and equip them with essential skills such as critical thinking and empathy. Reading not only serves as an escape from reality but also helps shape the minds of future generations, thereby empowering them to lead fulfilling lives and contribute positively to society.

"Growing old is not for sissies."

This quote, by Barbara Bush, signifies that the process of aging is not an easy or trivial endeavor, but rather a challenging and resilient phase in life, demanding fortitude, grace, and courage from those experiencing it. It's her acknowledgment that aging requires strength and determination, just as other significant phases of life do.

To us, family means putting your arms around each other and being there.

- Barbara Bush

Other, Means, Putting, Family

I think togetherness is a very important ingredient to family life.

- Barbara Bush

Think, Important, Very, Family

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

- Barbara Bush

Time, Parent, Deal, Husband

Cherish your human connections - your relationships with friends and family.

- Barbara Bush

Family, Relationships, Your, Cherish

You don't just luck into things as much as you would like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it is friendships or opportunities.

- Barbara Bush

Luck, Think, Like, Friendships

If human beings are perceived as potentials rather than problems, as possessing strengths instead of weaknesses, as unlimited rather that dull and unresponsive, then they thrive and grow to their capabilities.

- Barbara Bush

Grow, Rather, Capabilities, Perceived

I'm a great believer that the most important years are the sort of early years but the preschool years and then into the first and second grades. If you get a good base in the first and second grade and you can read, you can do anything.

- Barbara Bush

Good, Grades, Years, Believer

I'm not going to jump out of airplanes or anything like someone else I know.

- Barbara Bush

Someone, Like, Going, Airplane

It was the dumbest thing I had ever seen, but it's a family thing, and I guess it's clean.

- Barbara Bush

Had, Ever, Guess, Dumbest

Well, look at what people are doing for returned veterans now. The wounded warriors. They're working hard to make the wounded veterans feel that they are loved and welcomed home, unlike Vietnam. It was not a very kind, gentle world then. I think we are kinder and gentler.

- Barbara Bush

Doing, Veterans Day, Very, Vietnam

Bias has to be taught. If you hear your parents downgrading women or people of different backgrounds, why, you are going to do that.

- Barbara Bush

Why, Going, Your, Backgrounds

I hate the fact that people think 'compromise' is a dirty word.

- Barbara Bush

Think, Fact, Dirty, Compromise

I'm not being outspoken or pro or con abortion.

- Barbara Bush

Abortion, Con, Being, Outspoken

I'm taking a vow not to advise.

- Barbara Bush

Taking, Vow, Advise

It seems to me I spent my life in car pools, but you know, that's how I kept track of what was going on.

- Barbara Bush

My Life, Going, Spent, Pools

Nancy Reagan was a perfectionist, and I am not.

- Barbara Bush

I Am, Perfectionist, Reagan, None

Three publishers came to me at the White House after George lost and said, 'We would like to publish your book.' I said, 'Well, I don't have a book,' and they said well it's a well known fact that you have kept diaries.

- Barbara Bush

Book, Fact, Diaries, White House

I'm worried about parents who aren't parenting.

- Barbara Bush

Parents, Parenting, About, Worried

I do have the most marvelous husband, children, and grandchildren.

- Barbara Bush

Grandchildren, Most, Marvelous

You try to do something every single day that will help an American or maybe someone overseas.

- Barbara Bush

American, Will, Maybe, Every Single Day

The personal things should be left out of platforms at conventions. You can argue yourself blue in the face, and you're not going to change each other's minds. It's a waste of your time and my time.

- Barbara Bush

Waste, Other, Going, Platforms

If you are the wife of a governor or the wife of a vice president, I think you can be prepared for it.

- Barbara Bush

Think, I Think, Vice, Vice President

Giving frees us from the familiar territory of our own needs by opening our mind to the unexplained worlds occupied by the needs of others.

- Barbara Bush

Mind, Needs, Worlds, Unexplained

I want to still be able to garden while I can bend over.

- Barbara Bush

Want, Over, Still, Garden

You know sit with your arm around a little kid and read. It not only teaches them to read but it keeps the family strong.

- Barbara Bush

Strong, Kid, Read, Arm

The personal things should be left out of, in my opinion, out of platforms and conventions.

- Barbara Bush

Left, Personal Things, Conventions

I really feel very strongly that the person who runs for office is the courageous one, and the one who everybody has to know.

- Barbara Bush

Feel, Everybody, Very, Runs

I decided I ought to pick a project that would not be controversial, that would not really cost the government a lot of money.

- Barbara Bush

Cost, Decided, Lot, Controversial

Raising George Walker was not easy.

- Barbara Bush

Easy, Raising, George, Walker

Never lose sight of the fact that the most important yardstick of your success will be how you treat other people - your family, friends, and coworkers, and even strangers you meet along the way.

- Barbara Bush

Treat, The Most Important, Yardstick

I mean Afghanistan is a very rugged, complicated country.

- Barbara Bush

Country, Mean, Very, Rugged

Life has changed enormously, and I hope - I hope more people read good things.

- Barbara Bush

More, Read, More People, Changed

And who knows? Somewhere out there in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president's spouse. I wish him well!

- Barbara Bush

House, Somewhere, One Day, White House

Somewhere out in this audience may even be someone who will one day follow my footsteps, and preside over the White House as the president's spouse. I wish him well!

- Barbara Bush

House, Somewhere, One Day, White House

I really loved living in the White House, but I don't miss it at all.

- Barbara Bush

Loved, Living, White, White House

Family and friends and faith are the most important things in your life and you should be building friendships.

- Barbara Bush

Faith, The Most Important, Family And Friends

I don't like attacking.

- Barbara Bush

Like, Attacking

You may think the president is all-powerful, but he is not. He needs a lot of guidance from the Lord.

- Barbara Bush

Politics, Needs, Lot, President

The winner of the hoop race will be the first to realize her dream, not society's dream, her own personal dream.

- Barbara Bush

Society, Winner, Race, Realize

You can't tell a 6-year-old your sister is going to die.

- Barbara Bush

Die, Tell, Going, Sister

Suddenly women's lib had made me feel my life had been wasted.

- Barbara Bush

My Life, Been, Made, Lib

Raising five boys is a handful, trust me.

- Barbara Bush

Trust, Handful, Raising, Five

You have to love your children unselfishly. That's hard. But it's the only way.

- Barbara Bush

Love, Children, Only, To Love

My son, George, has been a bad, bad boy! Right, George?

- Barbara Bush

Son, Bad, Been, Bad Boy

The state dinner is almost a formula, but you try to make it interesting. You try not to overload it with too many political types. You try to get a cross section.

- Barbara Bush

Interesting, Types, Almost, Dinner

Nobody likes, you know, the ugly parts of politics.

- Barbara Bush

Politics, Ugly, Know, Parts

I mean you can learn how to build a bullet or build a gun or build a bomb on the Internet.

- Barbara Bush

Learn, Gun, How, Bullet

You just don't luck into things as much as you'd like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it's friendships or opportunities.

- Barbara Bush

Luck, Think, Like, Opportunities

You know, for one glorious half hour, I was the mother of the president-elect.

- Barbara Bush

Mother, Hour, Half, Glorious

I married the first man I ever kissed. When I tell this to my children, they just about throw up.

- Barbara Bush

Marriage, Tell, About, Kissed

My worst expectations never happened.

- Barbara Bush

Expectations, Never, Worst, Happened

I'm tired now of the elections.

- Barbara Bush

Tired, Now, Elections

I don't think that's healthy for the country when anyone thinks their morals are better than anyone else's.

- Barbara Bush

Think, Morals, Country, Thinks

I may be the only mother in America who knows exactly what their child is up to all the time.

- Barbara Bush

Mom, May, Exactly, Knows

Nobody likes a child to die or losing an election.

- Barbara Bush

Election, Die, Nobody, Likes

Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time.

- Barbara Bush

Big, Than, Larger, Involved

I don't like the blame game, though.

- Barbara Bush

Game, Like, Though, Blame

Everything I worry about would be better if more people could read, write and comprehend.

- Barbara Bush

Worry, Comprehend, Read, Write

One thing I can say about George... he may not be able to keep a job, but he's not boring.

- Barbara Bush

May, One Thing, About, George

I'm a little old-fashioned.

- Barbara Bush

Little, Old-Fashioned

I have a pig valve.

- Barbara Bush

Valve, Pig

I really built myself up, darn it, to be very strong.

- Barbara Bush

Strong, Very, Built, Darn

People who worry about their hair all the time, frankly, are boring.

- Barbara Bush

Hair, Worry, Boring, Frankly

You get nothing done if you don't listen to each other.

- Barbara Bush

Nothing, Other, Get, Listen

I hate abortions, but just could not make that choice for someone else.

- Barbara Bush

Someone, Could, Else, Choice

Never ask anyone over 70 how they feel. They'll tell you.

- Barbara Bush

Never, How, Over, Ask

Let's judge a man on what he's done.

- Barbara Bush

Man, Done, He, Judge

I'm not a competitive person, and I think women like me because they don't think I'm competitive, just nice.

- Barbara Bush

Think, Like, I Think, Competitive

When you come to a roadblock, take a detour.

- Barbara Bush

Come, Roadblock, Take, Detour

Value your friendship. Value your relationships.

- Barbara Bush

Friendship, Value, Your, Relationships

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