Life lessons from President George W. Bush

Former President George W. Bush stopped by St. Mark's School last week to talk about the importance of "being a citizen, not a spectator."

The intrigue: Bush kept his spring convocation speech both realistic and motivational, acknowledging that some Americans are navigating a distressing period.

• "This is not the first time our nation has been stressed. Yet, every time, because of our institutional protections and the self-healing aspects of democracy, we have survived," he said.

Zoom out: Bush appears to be living his best life, appearing at SMU games, painting portraits of inspirational people and jokingly pushing for a show called "George and Hoda" with Hoda Kotb.

• Bush recently did an interview with his daughter, Jenna Bush Hager, to share how America can heal itself.

The bottom line: "You don't have to be George Washington, you don't have to be in our military in order to serve ... you can do so by loving a neighbor, you can be a citizen by volunteering in the armies of compassion," Bush told St. Mark's students.