Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, the fraternal twin daughters of President George W. Bush, penned a touching letter to the outgoing first daughters this week.
In the letter, published in Time magazine on Thursday, Barbara and Jenna began by recounting “that cold November day” they gave Malia and Sasha Obama a tour of the White House, their new home for the next eight years.
We left our jobs in Baltimore and New York early and traveled to Washington to show you around. To show you the Lincoln Bedroom, and the bedrooms that were once ours, to introduce you to all the people—the florists, the grounds-keepers and the butlers—who dedicate themselves to making this historic house a home. The four of us wandered the majestic halls of the house you had no choice but to move in to. When you slid down the banister of the solarium, just as we had done as 8-year-olds and again as 20-year-olds chasing our youth, your joy and laughter were contagious.
The letter continues with the Bush twins ticking off a few of the experiences the Obama daughters had over the years, proof that the Bush women have had their eyes on them. The twins ended on a light note, poking fun at the partying they were known for when they went away to college and offering some sound advice.
Enjoy college. As most of the world knows, we did. And you won’t have the weight of the world on your young shoulders anymore. Explore your passions. Learn who you are. Make mistakes—you are allowed to. Continue to surround yourself with loyal friends who know you, adore you and will fiercely protect you. Those who judge you don’t love you, and their voices shouldn’t hold weight. Rather, it’s your own hearts that matter.
On the Today show, where she is a correspondent, Jenna also released some never-before-seen pics of that first tour, which are really sweet and show just how much the first daughters have grown up.
Read the entire letter at Time.