When the winds die down. . .

. . .and we all take a breath welcoming a new group of leaders, you have to stop and pause a minute and feel a bit sorrowful, whether you are a Bush fan or not, for the hits that he took.

Whether or not you agree with his policies or decisions, in the end we must all remember that he is a man, husband, father and friend to many who hold him in high esteme. Those who REALLY know him and what he stands for should be the ones we listen to when wondering what kind of man he is- not the talking heads and media types who try to paint us a picture for ratings or to sell to the lowest common denominator in their tabloid rags.

Many pretend to know him, but in truth, even after all this time, we all know very little.

And now as Obama arrives and folks are loving on him, I take a step back and know that as is human nature, many will do their best to tear him down too.

I envy their strength to stand for something, to serve, and live out their lives on a national and world stage that is rarely very kind.

Who among us could live in that spotlight, and what would our choices, dogma and policies look like acted out on a large stage?

The Bush daughters wrote a letter to the Obama daughters to enjoy every minute and participate as much as they can, slide down banisters and just be kids, they also imparted some great wisdom:

 "And finally, although it's an honor and full of so many extraordinary opportunities, it isn't always easy being a member of the club you are about to join. Our dad, like yours, is a man of great integrity and love; a man who always put us first. We still see him now as we did when we were seven: as our loving daddy. Our Dad, who read to us nightly, taught us how to score tedious baseball games.

He is our father, not the sketch in a paper or part of a skit on TV. Many people will think they know him, but they have no idea how he felt the day you were born, the pride he felt on your first day of school, or how much you both love being his daughters.

So here is our most important piece of advice: remember who your dad really is."