--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He opened his eyes for an instant. Other…" description: "\"“He opened his eyes for an instant. Other people were writing and melting, but my brother stopped his flight long enough to look at me. An instant that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/alice-hoffman-427_brother_he-opened-his-eyes-for-an-instant-other_3117319.png" --- # He opened his eyes for an instant. Other people were… ![“He opened his eyes for an instant. Other people were writing and melting, but my brother stopped his flight long enough to look at me. An instant that would have to last forever. And then the flames rose higher and my brother was gone.” quote by Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/alice-hoffman-427_brother_he-opened-his-eyes-for-an-instant-other_3117319.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/alice-hoffman-427_brother_he-opened-his-eyes-for-an-instant-other_3117319.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/44d/alice-hoffman-427_brother_he-opened-his-eyes-for-an-instant-other_3117319.png) > ““He opened his eyes for an instant. Other people were writing and melting, but my brother stopped his flight long enough to look at me. An instant that would have to last forever. And then the flames rose higher and my brother was gone. ”” [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A fleeting, profound connection with a sibling amid chaos, highlighting loss and memory **In simple terms:** Brief moments can feel eternal, especially with loved ones Key Takeaway Cherish fleeting connections, honor memory Themes family loss memory time connection Mood somber nostalgic Type literary emotional When to use this quote - family gatherings - memorials - writing - therapy - artistic creation Key Concepts ephemerality grief bonding Questions to Reflect On - How do you preserve a moment’s significance? - What rituals help transform grief into growth? A Different Perspective Some may argue that focusing on loss can impede healing ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brother Gone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-gone-2814503/) [Brother Stopped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother-stopped-3650683/) [Flames](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flames/) [Last forever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/last-forever/) [Melting Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/melting-brother-5460772/) ## Related quotes > [“He touched my little brother—I stopped his heart. It was a fair trade.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-thurman/he-touched-my-little-brother-i-stopped-his-heart-it-was-a-fair-trade/) [Rob Thurman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-thurman/) > [“Yet even so the darkness thickened, until it covered his eyes and filled his nose and stopped his ears, so he could not see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin-2/yet-even-so-the-darkness-thickened-until-it-covered-his-eyes-and/) [George R. R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin-2/) > [My brother and I have gone by 'Kel-see' our entire lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-kelce/my-brother-and-i-have-gone-by-kel-see-our-entire-lives/) [Jason Kelce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-kelce/) > [“Last summer we had a dad and a brother and then they were gone. We did not see it coming.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-condie/last-summer-we-had-a-dad-and-a-brother-and-then-they-were-gone-we-did/) [Ally Condie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-condie/) > [“Ian, man, I didna tell ye because I didna wish to lose you too. My brother was gone, and my father. I didna mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-gabaldon/ian-man-i-didna-tell-ye-because-i-didna-wish-to-lose-you-too-my-2/) [Diana Gabaldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-gabaldon/) > [Oh, call my brother back to me!I cannot play alone:The summer comes with flower and bee,-Where is my brother gone?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felicia-hemans/oh-call-my-brother-back-to-me-i-cannot-play-alone-the-summer-comes/) [Felicia Hemans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felicia-hemans/) > [“Ian, man, I didna tell ye because I didna wish to lose you too. My brother was gone, and my father. I didna mean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ian-man-i-didna-tell-ye-because-i-didna-wish-to-lose-you-too-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Our land is more valuable than your money. It will last forever. It will not even perish by the flames of fire. As long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crowfoot/our-land-is-more-valuable-than-your-money-it-will-last-forever-it/) [Crowfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crowfoot/) > [My mother's blood that would last forever after. The blood of my brother, my grandfather, my father.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-mother-s-blood-that-would-last-forever-after-the-blood-of-my/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [The one function that most gods seem to have in common is to give human existence some ultimate purpose - and, while it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-smoker/the-one-function-that-most-gods-seem-to-have-in-common-is-to-give/) [Barbara Smoker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-smoker/) > [“The gifts and the lessons my father left me will last forever: Never take yourself too seriously, never miss a chance to laugh long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-serling/the-gifts-and-the-lessons-my-father-left-me-will-last-forever-never/) [Anne Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-serling/) > [There is no occasion for our rejoicing at a foe's death, because our own life will also not last forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/there-is-no-occasion-for-our-rejoicing-at-a-foe-s-death-because-our/) [Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/) > [You may have some friends that come and go, but having a friend like God will last forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alyssa-tillmon/you-may-have-some-friends-that-come-and-go-but-having-a-friend-like/) [Alyssa Tillmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alyssa-tillmon/) > [I want to do - I want to be putting out classic stuff that's gonna stick and last forever, you feel me?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yg/i-want-to-do-i-want-to-be-putting-out-classic-stuff-that-s-gonna/) [YG](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yg/) > [“The days may last forever, but the years pass by in a blink; the secret to survival is actually remembering to take a deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-smokler/the-days-may-last-forever-but-the-years-pass-by-in-a-blink-the-secret/) [Jill Smokler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-smokler/) ## More by Alice Hoffman > [Women know things that men will never know. We keep the best secrets. We tell the best stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/women-know-things-that-men-will-never-know-we-keep-the-best-secrets/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“All of the quarters in his hand were tarnished. He had no idea that the silver in a man’s pockets always turns black if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/all-of-the-quarters-in-his-hand-were-tarnished-he-had-no-idea-that/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [But most important of all, she explained that it was all right to say 'No. I disagree.' that was a gift. I understood it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/but-most-important-of-all-she-explained-that-it-was-all-right-to-say/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“It was after dark when the woods were most filled with magic, when there were fireflies and the mist was rising from the streams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-was-after-dark-when-the-woods-were-most-filled-with-magic-when/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Never look back, that's what she's told herself. Don't think about swans or being alone in the dark. Don't think of storms, or lightning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/never-look-back-that-s-what-she-s-told-herself-don-t-think-about/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [This was what it meant to be human, to know that time moved and all things changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/this-was-what-it-meant-to-be-human-to-know-that-time-moved-and-all/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“She preferred cats to human beings and turned down every offer from the men who fell in love with her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/she-preferred-cats-to-human-beings-and-turned-down-every-offer-from/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [I'm a really eclectic reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/i-m-a-really-eclectic-reader/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [It's not the lie that's the problem; it's the distance the lie forges between you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/it-s-not-the-lie-that-s-the-problem-it-s-the-distance-the-lie-forges/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Her vision was going, but she could see him, the way people see clouds-beautiful, racing by, casting shadows.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/her-vision-was-going-but-she-could-see-him-the-way-people-see-clouds/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [That's why there are ten gates to pass through before you reach the garden. If life were easy there would be one gate. There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/that-s-why-there-are-ten-gates-to-pass-through-before-you-reach-the/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“...the summer of the gypsy moths when all the trees in their yard were bare, the leaves chewed by caterpillars. You could hear crunching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-summer-of-the-gypsy-moths-when-all-the-trees-in-their-yard-were/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“The best way to die is when you're living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/the-best-way-to-die-is-when-you-re-living/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [“Haylin was given a good talking-to by the headmaster and made to write a paper about workers’ rights, which he considered a privilege rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/haylin-was-given-a-good-talking-to-by-the-headmaster-and-made-to/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) > [My darling girl, when are you going to realize that being normal is not necessarily a virtue? It rather denotes a lack of courage."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-hoffman/my-darling-girl-when-are-you-going-to-realize-that-being-normal-is/) [Alice Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) [Explore all 571 Alice Hoffman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-hoffman/) ## More Brother quotes > [I was 3-years-old - to this day it is a vivid memory. My family and I were on a boat, catching fish. As one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joaquin-phoenix/i-was-3-years-old-to-this-day-it-is-a-vivid-memory-my-family-and-i/) [Joaquin Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joaquin-phoenix/) > [Whatever meaning 'Annie's Song' had for me on a personal level, there was also a larger context. It could just as easily have been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-denver/whatever-meaning-annie-s-song-had-for-me-on-a-personal-level-there/) [John Denver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-denver/) > [Luckily, the bullet that hit my chest never got to me. It was stopped by a silver case I got for my brother's wedding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-doohan/luckily-the-bullet-that-hit-my-chest-never-got-to-me-it-was-stopped/) [James Doohan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-doohan/) > [“Yeah. You treat him like a son or a soldier, instead of like a brother. He wants you to like him and admire him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/faith-hunter/yeah-you-treat-him-like-a-son-or-a-soldier-instead-of-like-a-brother/) [Faith Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/faith-hunter/) > [“Your relationship with your brother will be, in many ways, the most complex and bewildering of all the interpersonal connections you will form. An…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/your-relationship-with-your-brother-will-be-in-many-ways-the-most/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) > [If I had my brothers I think with just a little bit of the correct marketing, I'd like to be almost exclusively in small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-bozzio/if-i-had-my-brothers-i-think-with-just-a-little-bit-of-the-correct/) [Terry Bozzio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-bozzio/) > [There's no publicist, no advertisements, and no one's pushing us. If people are buying our records, it's because big brothers and sisters or friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-moody/there-s-no-publicist-no-advertisements-and-no-one-s-pushing-us-if/) [Spencer Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-moody/) > [The only way to make sure that the Hand didn't get to you would have been to kill your brother. I could've done it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/the-only-way-to-make-sure-that-the-hand-didn-t-get-to-you-would-have/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [“Your favorite son and brother, Shade. Like”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victoria-aveyard/your-favorite-son-and-brother-shade-like/) [Victoria Aveyard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victoria-aveyard/) > [Sister + brother = a lovely family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/sister-brother-a-lovely-family/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There ain't no such thing as black Muslims. That's how they tried to cut off all my brothers in the rest of the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/there-ain-t-no-such-thing-as-black-muslims-that-s-how-they-tried-to/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/brothers-and-sisters-i-bid-you-beware-of-giving-your-heart-to-a-dog/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [Like a child exploring the attic of an old house on a rainy day, discovering a trunk full of treasure and then calling all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/like-a-child-exploring-the-attic-of-an-old-house-on-a-rainy-day/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [Stephanie could see the greed seep into the watery eyes of her father’s other brother, a horrible little man called Fergus, as he nodded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-landy/stephanie-could-see-the-greed-seep-into-the-watery-eyes-of-her-father/) [Derek Landy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-landy/) > [I worked in a barbershop. I used to make the waves in the brother's hair, you know? Like, Nat King Cole, Sugar Ray Robinson.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-clinton/i-worked-in-a-barbershop-i-used-to-make-the-waves-in-the-brother-s/) [George Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-clinton/) [Browse all 7,453 Brother quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He opened his eyes for an instant. 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