The Big Lessons

I don’t know about you but I have been mesmerized by George H.W. Bush’s funeral and everything surrounding it. His life was a master lesson in how to live well and leave a lasting legacy.

Of all the images from the week, this one still resonates. It takes my breath away.

Sure, we are looking at a man who was President of the United States, honoring his father who was also President of the United States. But in this moment, we just see a man. A human being. Standing before us in grief. And gratitude. It’s humbling for all of us as sons and daughters and parents.

The friends who spoke, the stories told, the preacher’s words, all of it was genuine and so beautiful. This guy was the real deal.  Rooted in a deep faith. Kind. Humble. Loyal. Funny. You can’t fake these testimonies of a life well lived.

Someone said that George H.W. Bush believed failure was part of a full life. Gosh I love this. Many alluded to the years after he was defeated for a second term by Bill Clinton and how devastating this was for him. But that he pulled through and went on to speak of his contentment and his joy in his life. This speaks to his hope and faith. In today’s world, with everything #winning, we can’t fathom this kind of wisdom. Everything is a sound bite, a knee jerk reaction, a twitter post, a quick fix. Yet, wisdom takes time. The truth is, failure teaches. There is no doubt failure is part of a full life.

I remember when my dad had some business troubles. Things didn’t go as planned and “friends” turned out not to be. I watched him do the right thing and take hits. I saw him hold on to his integrity while “losing” some worldly things. I remember him being down and I asked him how he was and he said, he is just fine. He said, “I am at peace when I lay my head on my pillow every night”.

When you are anchored in your identity as a child of God, nothing can break you.

Not even death.

^{Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.  -1 Thessolonians 13-14} 

I look at George W. Bush in this picture and I get it. Grief. And laughter and tears and gratitude and faith and hope. All part of a full life.

©Sue Bidstrup, 2018, All Rights Reserved, Great Big YES™