--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My brother need not be idealized, or…" description: "\"My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_740115.jpg" --- # My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death… ![“My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it. Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today…” quote by Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_740115.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_740115.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c78/edward-kennedy-3423_brother_my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enla_740115.jpg) > “My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it. Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today, pray that what he was to us, and what he wished for others will some day come to pass for all the world. As he said many times, in many parts of this nation, to those he touched and who sought to touch him: 'Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not.'” [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Remember the deceased as a decent person who strived to improve the world, and be inspired to dream beyond reality. **In simple terms:** Honor the good man and pursue bold dreams. Key Takeaway Live with integrity and dream big. Themes legacy dreams morality Mood respectful hopeful Type memorial motivational When to use this quote - memorial services - community activism - personal reflection - social justice Key Concepts ethics inspiration Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to continue his vision? - How do you balance dreaming with practical steps? A Different Perspective Idealizing the dead can hinder realistic progress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Suffering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suffering/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [Why not](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/why-not/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/my-brother-need-not-be-idealized-or-enlarged-in-death-beyond-what-he-2/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [“Life, she remembered, had to be lived, even - and maybe particularly - in the middle of death”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-robb/life-she-remembered-had-to-be-lived-even-and-maybe-particularly-in/) [j.d. robb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-robb/) > [I wanted the moments of my life to follow and order themselves like those of a life remembered. You might as well try and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/i-wanted-the-moments-of-my-life-to-follow-and-order-themselves-like/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [My greatest fear in life is not having a big enough impact on someone's life to always be remembered...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/my-greatest-fear-in-life-is-not-having-a-big-enough-impact-on-someone/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [What lasting impact will I make on the world and those around me? What will I live my life for? How will I be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theo-rossi/what-lasting-impact-will-i-make-on-the-world-and-those-around-me-what/) [Theo Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theo-rossi/) > [“But everything changes when you tell about life; it's a change no one notices: the proof is that people talk about true stories. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/but-everything-changes-when-you-tell-about-life-it-s-a-change-no-one/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [The greatest gift in life is to be remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-greatest-gift-in-life-is-to-be-remembered/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Never take today for granted because you might not get tomorrow. So love to the fullest and live a life that will be remembered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/never-take-today-for-granted-because-you-might-not-get-tomorrow-so/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [This earth will be looked back on like a lowly home, and this life of ours be remembered like a short apprenticeship to duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-mountford/this-earth-will-be-looked-back-on-like-a-lowly-home-and-this-life-of/) [William Mountford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-mountford/) > [I don't live life to be remembered for anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/i-don-t-live-life-to-be-remembered-for-anything/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [“So many steps a woman takes in her life will not be remembered. And most of her tracks will be erased. But there will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lemmon/so-many-steps-a-woman-takes-in-her-life-will-not-be-remembered-and/) [Christine Lemmon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lemmon/) > [That's all I want in life is to be remembered as a guy that really loved God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrae-crouch/that-s-all-i-want-in-life-is-to-be-remembered-as-a-guy-that-really/) [Andrae Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrae-crouch/) > [If I could do anything in my life and be remembered for anything, I would like to be remembered for helping the world see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-wertheim/if-i-could-do-anything-in-my-life-and-be-remembered-for-anything-i/) [Margaret Wertheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-wertheim/) > [I mean there's a college kid left in everyone. I bet you, too, if you could go back you would for a night or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-gronkowski/i-mean-there-s-a-college-kid-left-in-everyone-i-bet-you-too-if-you/) [Rob Gronkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-gronkowski/) > [You weren't a decent man and you didn't do your best. We none of us were and none of us did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-weren-t-a-decent-man-and-you-didn-t-do-your-best-we-none-of-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Edward Kennedy > [It's disgraceful that year after year, Congress has bowed to the tobacco lobby and refused to act.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/it-s-disgraceful-that-year-after-year-congress-has-bowed-to-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Sometimes a party must sail against the wind. We cannot heed the call of those who say it is time to furl the sail.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/sometimes-a-party-must-sail-against-the-wind-we-cannot-heed-the-call/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The torture and other sadistic abuses of prisoners in Iraq have done immense damage already to America's reputation in the world, and the worst…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/the-torture-and-other-sadistic-abuses-of-prisoners-in-iraq-have-done/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The great adventures which our opponents offer is a voyage into the past. Progress is our heritage, not theirs. What is right for us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/the-great-adventures-which-our-opponents-offer-is-a-voyage-into-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Justice Lewis Powell spoke for all of us when he said: Equal justice under law is perhaps the most inspiring idea of our society.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/justice-lewis-powell-spoke-for-all-of-us-when-he-said-equal-justice/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Frankly, I don't mind not being President. I just mind that someone else is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/frankly-i-don-t-mind-not-being-president-i-just-mind-that-someone/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [ \[W\]ords are fine, but it has to be what a generation reads into those words. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/w-ords-are-fine-but-it-has-to-be-what-a-generation-reads-into-those/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [Earlier this week ... scientists announced the completion of a task that once seemed unimaginable; and that is, the deciphering of the entire DNA…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/earlier-this-week-scientists-announced-the-completion-of-a-task-that/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [She's a wonderful, wonderful person, and we're looking to a happy and wonderful night - ah, life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/she-s-a-wonderful-wonderful-person-and-we-re-looking-to-a-happy-and/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [I applaud the fact that the president has reached out to the members of Judiciary Committee. And I applaud. the fact that he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/i-applaud-the-fact-that-the-president-has-reached-out-to-the-members/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [ur struggle is not with some monarch named George who inherited the crown - although it often seems that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/ur-struggle-is-not-with-some-monarch-named-george-who-inherited-the/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [We are giving assurance to the American families that help is on its way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/we-are-giving-assurance-to-the-american-families-that-help-is-on-its/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [The AMA puts the lives and well being of the American citizens well below it's own special interest...It deserves to be ignored, rejected, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/the-ama-puts-the-lives-and-well-being-of-the-american-citizens-well/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [I won't yield to anyone about guns in our society. I know enough about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/i-won-t-yield-to-anyone-about-guns-in-our-society-i-know-enough-about/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) > [From the windows of my office in Boston ... I can see the Golden Stairs from Boston Harbor where all eight of my great-grandparents…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-kennedy/from-the-windows-of-my-office-in-boston-i-can-see-the-golden-stairs/) [Edward Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) [Explore all 131 Edward Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-kennedy/) ## 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 > [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": "My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it. Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today, pray that what he was to us, and what he wished for others will some day come to pass for all the world. As he said many times, in many parts of this nation, to those he touched and who sought to touch him: 'Some men see things as they are and say why. 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