by Lynn Mandaville

Two things of significance in our lives transpired this past week. Barbara Bush, a noted animal lover, made peace with her declining health and decided to cease all care but that which made her comfortable. And our sweet cat, Minnie the Moocher, declined in her health to the point that we made the same decision for her.

(Actually, Minn made it clear that she did not want to eat anymore, and she fights the pain meds I try to give her.)

Barbara Bush was 92, old by any standard, with a life well lived, and she died within two days of making public her decision to forego further extraordinary treatment. Minn is 11, a young senior according to our vet Barbe, and she also has had a great life. It makes us sad to see her in her final days.

Barbara had six children, all of whom she loved dearly and made her very proud, and all of whom will miss her very much for her love, tenacity, honesty and exemplary character. Minn had eleven kittens, all of whom she raised to be healthy and fully independent, a few of whom still live with us and give us joy and companionship.

And that’s where the comparisons end.

Mrs. Bush was an amazing woman. I don’t have to tell you all about her. Her personality, character, and accomplishments have been duly extolled in the media. She never pretended to be anything other than the smart, strong, authentic, appropriately opinionated woman that she was.

There were many things I admired about Barbara Bush. One of the things I hold most dear about her was her fierce dedication to literacy, especially that of children.  

“If every man, woman and child in America could read, write and comprehend, we could find easier answers to so may of our other social problems,” she said.

After her husband’s last bid for the presidency, Mrs. Bush determined to dispose of any remaining campaign funds by donating them to public libraries. Unfortunately for me and the Henika Library, I heard of her intentions too late. My letter requesting a small donation for our library was replied to with a gracious letter of apology letting me know that Mrs. Bush had been successful in bestowing her generosity upon many worthy American libraries, and that no money remained to be distributed.

I don’t recall now how many tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars she made sure went to institutions of literacy and learning. It was an astounding gift to the nation.

Barbara Bush will be remembered by many for many different reasons. I will remember her for her devotion to the wonders of reading, for her desire that all children know how to read and have access to books of all kinds.

Some in the media have been quoted as saying that Barbara Bush was America’s grandmother. I think the traditional connotations of grandmother are far too limiting to encompass her.

Barbara Bush was one tough cookie, with a soft center, whose legacy of championing literacy should be embraced and paid forward by us all.

Rest in peace, dear Barbara. Your light will shine on.