On April 17th, 2018, former First Lady of the United States Barbara Bush passed away, leaving a legacy that many overlook. Barbara Bush, wife to President George H.W. Bush and mother of President George W. Bush, was more than just a wife or a mother. Throughout history, often First Ladies are dubbed as silent women who faithfully stand next to their husband.

Mrs. Bush, in her own right, helped to redefine the role of the First Lady of the United States. While she was warm and soft-hearted, she was a blunt force to be reckoned with. She championed for causes that were important to her. Even though she was raised in a privileged household, she appealed to the everyday, common man; transcending social class.

Mrs. Bush was eager to bring change to the country, becoming active as soon as she became First Lady in 1989. That very same year, she made headlines when she visited a pediatric HIV/AIDS care center, Grandma's House. She was seen cradling and being a mothering figure towards the children affected by the virus. This was huge because at this point in time there was this huge stigma that surrounded people affected with AIDS/HIV, falsely assuming that the virus was contracted through close proximity.

Many people treated HIV/AIDS victims like animals and looked down on them due to the unfair beliefs of homosexuality. Later in 1990, she attended the funeral of Ryan White, a teen who lost her life after contracting the virus through a blood transfusion. After the funeral, Mrs. Bush helped to further advocate for AIDS/HIV assistance. Soon after, President George H.W. Bush signed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which "provides a comprehensive system of care that includes primary medical care and essential support services for people living with HIV who are uninsured or under-insured."

Also, due to her son Neil's dyslexia, Barbara Bush started the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, which promotes literacy to both parents and children. She wrote Millie's Book which raised nearly one million dollars for literacy programs. Since 1989, the Foundation has raised more than $110 million to expand literacy programs. In 1991, she helped to pass the National Literacy Act, which focused on teaching millions of American adults how to read.

Barbara Bush will forever go down in history as one of America's favorite First Ladies. She was a First Lady that did not need training. May her soul rest in peace. God bless America.

Below are five of my favorite quotes from Barbara Bush that inspire me, amuse me and also engraves her legacy into my mind.

"Cherish your human connections - your relationships with friends and family."

"Clinton lied. A man might forget where he parks or where he lives, but he never forgets oral sex, no matter how bad it is."

"You just don't luck into things as much as you'd like to think you do. You build step by step, whether it's friendships or opportunities."

"Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time."

"At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict, or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent."