What Matters
Earlier this week I read a reflection by Karen Culbertson on the eulogy of his father's life given by President George W. Bush. I was struck by the eulogy myself, but she expresses her thoughts far more clearly than I could mine. She says:
"...I made a mental note of what actually mattered to George W at the end of his father’s life and what things had made him a better, well-adjusted adult."
So what was it that the younger President Bush thought actually mattered? This is the most striking part:
"In the eulogy George W didn’t mention once that his parents made sure he had organic food his whole life, or had Pinterest worthy birthday parties, or the perfect monogrammed matching outfits with his siblings. He didn’t mention that his parents made sure their week was planned with playdates and millions of extracurricular activities. He reflected over and over again about how much his dad loved and was dedicated to his mother."
"...I made a mental note of what actually mattered to George W at the end of his father’s life and what things had made him a better, well-adjusted adult."
So what was it that the younger President Bush thought actually mattered? This is the most striking part:
"In the eulogy George W didn’t mention once that his parents made sure he had organic food his whole life, or had Pinterest worthy birthday parties, or the perfect monogrammed matching outfits with his siblings. He didn’t mention that his parents made sure their week was planned with playdates and millions of extracurricular activities. He reflected over and over again about how much his dad loved and was dedicated to his mother."
That one stopped me in my tracks. It's always about love. Love one another, there is nothing more important than that.