A “Pearl of Wisdom” From Barbara Bush’s Latest Book,

Pearls of Wisdom

A journalist with  USA Today, Jean Becker, ultimately  became the chief of staff for former President George Herbert Walker Bush, deputy press secretary for former First Lady, Barbara Bush, and oversaw the opening of the George Bush Presidential Library Center.

That is a long way from the newsroom. What happened? Jean was  assigned to the 1988 election team. She wrote feature articles about the candidates. She wrote a column about  the ‘Candidates at Home.’ “ I met everyone,” said, Jean. “The wives of the presidential candidates, Barbara Bush and Kitty Dukakis, wrote weekly columns and I was assigned to edit them. I wound up loving it,” shared Jean. “I gained much respect for both women. I tried to catch up with them every week. I mostly worked with Kitty’s press secretary, but Barbara wrote her own. We discussed her column every Sunday night,” recalled Jean. After George H.W. Bush won the presidential election, USA Today assigned Jean to be imbedded in the inauguration activities. “ I got to hang out with the Bush family,” she told me,

Fast forward to 2020  – Jean never left the Bush family. “Among the many wonderful and unexpected benefits of my time with the Bush family, was to witness the great love story between President Bush and Mrs. Bush,” she shared.

Of her position with former President Bush, she recalls, “President Bush called me to his office one day in 1994, and told me, ‘Barbara thinks you would be a good place holder until we figure things out,’ about the recently vacated chief of staff position. I agreed to help for a short period of time. Well, that conversation never surfaced again. I dove in with both feet. I never left.”

Jean went from living in Washington, D.C. to spending summers in Kennebunkport, Maine and the rest of the year in Houston, Texas. She was chief of staff, editor, and family friend.

Jean helped with and edited Mrs. Bush’s memoirs and subsequent books. After Mrs. Bush passed away in 2018, with a trove of her writings, speeches, and so many family members and friends reminiscing about her wisdom and love, the book, Pearls of Wisdom -Little Pieces of Advice (That Go a Long Way), came to life.  Jean explained, “Barbara Bush is the author because these were her thoughts, words, and wisdom. She wrote most of her own speeches [she was a good writer] – I helped edit them. For the book, I compiled, organized, and added context.”  Jean writes in the ‘Author’s Note,’ “It is indeed written in her voice and in her spirit.”

Pearls of Wisdom is written in three voices, Mrs. Bush’s, her family’s and friends’, with Jean Becker’s, as narrator. “  Barbara’s advice is impossible to miss. It is printed in bold.

Barbara Bush was the mother of 6 children. She was the First Lady of the United States. She was the wife of the Vice President of the United States,  of a US congressman,  of the US Ambassador  to the United Nations, of the Director of the CIA, the mother of the 43^rd President of the United States and 46^th Governor of Texas,  and the mother of the 43^rd Governor of Florida. Barbara was an accomplished author with four published books before Pearls of Wisdom. She was all that in a single lifetime. She was the love of former President George H. W.  Bush’s life. He called her “The Sliver Fox.” No job was too tough or inconvenient for Barbara as long as she and the love of her life were together. She focused on “the good.” What was the secret  to her sanity and success?

She was America’s Mom. She gave advice to her family, friends, politicians, heads of state, Supreme Court Justices, students, and graduates. “After all, in 80 years of living, I have survived 6 children, 17 grandchildren, 6 wars, a book by Kitty Kelly, two presidents, two governors, big Election Day wins and big Election Day losses, and 61 years of marriage to a husband who keeps jumping out of perfectly good airplanes. So, it is just possible that along the way I’ve learned a thing or two,” said Barbara Bush, owning up to her advice-giving.

Former President, George W. Bush, writes in the book’s Forward, “There are those who might say Mother was bossy. . . opinionated . . . a bit of a blurter. She had a wonderful sense of humor . . . Her honesty came from a heart for others.” He concludes,  “We are better people for having listened to her.”

Family came first for Barbara. Neil Bush credits his mother, “Mom has taught me to be a better parent, a better person, and a better citizen.” According to Neil, Barbara doled out advice about “How to eat, how to dress, how to behave, how to make their bed, whom to date.”  She made her positions quite clear.

Opinions aside, Barbara shared a great love with her family and friends. She gave advice out of love. She encouraged people to “Look for the good in others, to value your friends, enjoy life,  and not to buy what you cannot afford.” Barbara embraced change and was ready and willing to go on to the next adventure. While she took her duties seriously, she did not take herself  seriously. “She said, Birds fly high because they take themselves lightly,” writes Neil Bush.

Former Governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, says of his mother, “She had …plain-spoken wisdom. … a successful life is defined first and foremost by loving your children with all of your heart and soul.” Jeb calls his mother’s form of discipline that of a “benevolent dictatorship.”  According to Jeb, Barbara tried “… to leave this a better world” by the manner of her life and her faith.

Son, Marvin Bush, recalls valuable lessons, “Be on time, be yourself. Love one another. Have a sense of humor.”  He writes, “…we had a front-row seat at one of the greatest love stories that ever existed.”

Daughter, Doro Bush Koch,  credits her mother for teaching her to “lead with love.”

In the many commencement speeches that Barbara gave, she stressed the importance of tolerance, “…Tolerance …is a constant stream of little acts in our daily lives, big and small choices we face every day in the way we think about, and talk about and deal with other human beings.”

Mrs. Bush was an fervent advocate of literacy. She is quoted in the book, “I truly feel that if more people could read, write, and comprehend, so many of our social problems could be solved.” She believed that literacy begins at home.

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A few more “Pearls?” “Always be grateful.  Do your summer reading. Listen, learn, lead. Stay current. Be patient. Words matter. Treat everyone equally. You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk. Never pay top dollar for department store lipstick when you can get the same thing at the drug store for a fraction of the cost! Don’t feed Millie”

Pearls of Wisdom, so aptly titled, offers wisdom sprinkled with humor and much love. There is something for everyone. After the many years of working with the Barbara Bush, what is Jean’s take away? “Choose to be happy.”

All author royalties from PEARLS OF WISDOM will be donated to support the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

To get your copy of PEARLS OF WISDOM Little Pieces of Advice (That Go a Long Way) by Barbara Bush

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-5387-3494-0 ▪ $22.00 ▪ 256 pages

eBook ISBN: 978-1-5387-3493-3 ▪ $12.99

Also available from Hachette Audio