Jenna Bush Hager is revealing the best advice that her grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, shared with her before passing away in 2018 at age 94.
He lived his life according to a small list of rules, Bush Hager explained to co-host Hoda Kotb on Thursday's episode of "Today with Hoda & Jenna." The points were worth taking to heart and Bush Hager was eager to share them with Today audiences.
"Don’t get down when your life takes a bad turn, don’t blame others for your setbacks, when things go well, always give credit to others, don’t talk all the time; listen to your friends and mentors and learn from them, don’t brag about yourself," she recited.
"And, 'Nobody likes an overbearing big shot,' which sounds so much like his words. And, 'Help a friend when they’re hurting.' One of them, which I obviously listen to a lot, is, 'It's OK to cry when life takes a bad turn or when a friend hurts.'"
Bush Hager said she memorized the entire list but the most touching piece of advice that her grandfather shared was in person one night shortly before his death. Their family was chatting around the dinner table when Bush, who had lost most of his hearing and could not participate in the conversation, leaned over to Bush Hager and said "Don't forget to enjoy the game."
The weight of the words bore down on her.
"And it broke my heart into a thousand pieces because what he meant is life is meant to be enjoyed, celebrate it," she said. "I think he also probably felt by that point he wasn’t in it as much."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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