--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Even though I was there through it all…" description: "\"Even though I was there through it all, it is hard for me to comprehend that I was growing up with brothers who would eventually occupy the highest off..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_brotherhood_even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-i_2420957.jpg" --- # Even though I was there through it all, it is hard for me… ![“Even though I was there through it all, it is hard for me to comprehend that I was growing up with brothers who would eventually occupy the highest offices of our nation, including president of the United States.” quote by Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_brotherhood_even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-i_2420957.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_brotherhood_even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-i_2420957.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_brotherhood_even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-i_2420957.jpg) > “Even though I was there through it all, it is hard for me to comprehend that I was growing up with brothers who would eventually occupy the highest offices of our nation, including president of the United States.” [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on the surprising reality of growing up alongside future national leaders, highlighting the personal distance from public power. **In simple terms:** Growing up with future leaders felt surreal. Key Takeaway Recognize the humanity behind public figures. Themes family politics identity Mood reflective nostalgic Type personal historical When to use this quote - childhood - political families - public service - personal reflection Key Concepts legacy social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - How does proximity to power shape personal identity? - What responsibilities arise from such family ties? A Different Perspective Personal connections may not translate to influence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers/) [Brothers Eventually](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-eventually-6126557/) [Growing Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-brothers-1024213/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Hard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard/) [Hard Comprehend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-comprehend-810105/) [Including President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/including-president-1122856/) [Nation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nation/) [Who](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/who/) ## Related quotes > [Growing up together with my brothers and working out - knowing that they bring intensity to the workout and they really, truly believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-gronkowski/growing-up-together-with-my-brothers-and-working-out-knowing-that/) [Rob Gronkowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-gronkowski/) > [Growing up with my brothers has helped me a lot in training. I have learned a lot from them. The moves, their advice and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tomoki-kameda/growing-up-with-my-brothers-has-helped-me-a-lot-in-training-i-have/) [Tomoki Kameda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tomoki-kameda/) > [That's where the outrage should be, not old news, but the fact that we are preparing for the transfer of power. and we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lewis/that-s-where-the-outrage-should-be-not-old-news-but-the-fact-that-we/) [John Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lewis/) > [Every American, including our president, represents that we uphold the highest ideals of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/every-american-including-our-president-represents-that-we-uphold-the/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [Well, the title "An Inconvenient Truth" is a way of highlighting the reasons why some people, including the president, don't seem to accept the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/well-the-title-an-inconvenient-truth-is-a-way-of-highlighting-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [Americans want to believe that we are a nation of laws, and no one is above them, including the president. Mr. Trump's and his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-plame/americans-want-to-believe-that-we-are-a-nation-of-laws-and-no-one-is/) [Valerie Plame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-plame/) > [There are a lot of presidents in both parties - including President Obama - who had strong claims of executive privilege that I certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-lamb/there-are-a-lot-of-presidents-in-both-parties-including-president/) [Conor Lamb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-lamb/) > [I think the President himself is a remarkably intelligent, decent, ethical man. I think he did very well, but I think the job builds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-cutler/i-think-the-president-himself-is-a-remarkably-intelligent-decent/) [Lloyd Cutler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-cutler/) > [You can do pretty much anything you want to do in America as a black, including become president. Still, the legacy of our victimization,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/you-can-do-pretty-much-anything-you-want-to-do-in-america-as-a-black/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) > [We don't need to get into the geopolitical ramifications of Trump's ego-centric foreign policy to agree that American democracy should be for Americans -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karine-jean-pierre/we-don-t-need-to-get-into-the-geopolitical-ramifications-of-trump-s/) [Karine Jean-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karine-jean-pierre/) > [“It is hard to comprehend how someone who was once the center of your whole world can evolve into someone that you use to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-koch/it-is-hard-to-comprehend-how-someone-who-was-once-the-center-of-your/) [Ann Koch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-koch/) > [“It’s hard to comprehend the ache in your gut when you see things going wrong and can’t figure out how to fix them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-rodham-clinton/it-s-hard-to-comprehend-the-ache-in-your-gut-when-you-see-things/) [Hillary Rodham Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-rodham-clinton/) > [I think when you don't see tomorrow and you don't see yourself in tomorrow, you're in that kind of zone and it's really hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-blades/i-think-when-you-don-t-see-tomorrow-and-you-don-t-see-yourself-in/) [Jay Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-blades/) > [That's gotta be one of the principles behind reality. Accepting things that are hard to comprehend, and leaving them that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/that-s-gotta-be-one-of-the-principles-behind-reality-accepting-things/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [Aegis-bearing Zeus has a design for each occasion, and mortals find this hard to comprehend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesiod/aegis-bearing-zeus-has-a-design-for-each-occasion-and-mortals-find/) [Hesiod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesiod/) ## More by Jean Kennedy Smith > [I'm not in public life except by accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-m-not-in-public-life-except-by-accident/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [But I believe Ireland is getting more European, and the young are looking toward Europe for jobs - just as there are a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/but-i-believe-ireland-is-getting-more-european-and-the-young-are/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [To all of us, Dad was Number One in our house.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/to-all-of-us-dad-was-number-one-in-our-house/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [The Irish people were willing to take me at face value, to give me the benefit of the doubt because I was a Kennedy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/the-irish-people-were-willing-to-take-me-at-face-value-to-give-me-the/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [We can't be dominated by ruthless terrorism and the American principle is that we never will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/we-can-t-be-dominated-by-ruthless-terrorism-and-the-american/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [While I cannot comment in detail about the inter workings of the State Department, it is a matter of public record that I recommended…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/while-i-cannot-comment-in-detail-about-the-inter-workings-of-the/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I can say without reservation that I do not remember a day in our childhood without laughter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-can-say-without-reservation-that-i-do-not-remember-a-day-in-our/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [To tell the truth, I don't feel the pressure of fame. I don't have the problem of being a celebrity in terms of recognizability.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/to-tell-the-truth-i-don-t-feel-the-pressure-of-fame-i-don-t-have-the/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [Next to President of the United States, Ambassador to Ireland is surely one of the best jobs an Irish American can hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/next-to-president-of-the-united-states-ambassador-to-ireland-is/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I'm one of nine children, and I have a lot of pictures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-m-one-of-nine-children-and-i-have-a-lot-of-pictures/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [After Joe passed away in the war, it seemed only natural that Jack and Bobby and then Teddy might pursue office as well. Public…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/after-joe-passed-away-in-the-war-it-seemed-only-natural-that-jack-and/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [Our Family is deeply honoured to see the Irish Government taking this enormous interest in the development of the Kennedy Homestead Visitor attraction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/our-family-is-deeply-honoured-to-see-the-irish-government-taking-this/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I happen to like children and I happen to like the arts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-happen-to-like-children-and-i-happen-to-like-the-arts/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I don't buy from any one special designer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-don-t-buy-from-any-one-special-designer/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) > [I tried to explain in 'The Nine of Us' how we grew up with politics. At meals we talked about what was in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/i-tried-to-explain-in-the-nine-of-us-how-we-grew-up-with-politics-at/) [Jean Kennedy Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) [Explore all 43 Jean Kennedy Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/) ## More Brotherhood quotes > [ The best way to marginalize the Muslim Brotherhood \[in Egypt\] is in the ballot box, not through arrests and killing people. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelly-ayotte/the-best-way-to-marginalize-the-muslim-brotherhood-in-egypt-is-in-the/) [Kelly Ayotte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelly-ayotte/) > [Saying that the origin of the Islamic State (IS) is within the Muslim Brotherhood organisation only strengthens IS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/saying-that-the-origin-of-the-islamic-state-is-is-within-the-muslim/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [“All the same I keep on looking for someone incomprehensible who won't understand me either, because I have a terrible thirst for brotherhood”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-ajar/all-the-same-i-keep-on-looking-for-someone-incomprehensible-who-won-t/) [Emile Ajar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-ajar/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Brothers all In honour, as in one community, Scholars and gentlemen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wordsworth/brothers-all-in-honour-as-in-one-community-scholars-and-gentlemen/) [William Wordsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wordsworth/) > [This is me and my older brother alasandro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother/this-is-me-and-my-older-brother-alasandro/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother/) > [You may call for peace as loudly as you wish, but where there is no brotherhood there can in the end be no peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lerner/you-may-call-for-peace-as-loudly-as-you-wish-but-where-there-is-no/) [Max Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lerner/) > [Forgiving the men who killed my parents and brother was a process, a journey into deeper and deeper prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immaculee-ilibagiza/forgiving-the-men-who-killed-my-parents-and-brother-was-a-process-a/) [Immaculee Ilibagiza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immaculee-ilibagiza/) > [Overall, we had about 50 meetings where the brothers would say that I couldn't do any solo records, I couldn't write for other people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammy-hagar/overall-we-had-about-50-meetings-where-the-brothers-would-say-that-i/) [Sammy Hagar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammy-hagar/) > [Please be slow to judge ‘brothers’ who have a different calling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-foreman/please-be-slow-to-judge-brothers-who-have-a-different-calling/) [Jon Foreman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-foreman/) > [My brothers and I would try to talk our dad into letting us stay up and watch 'Star Trek.' I remember watching it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-lin/my-brothers-and-i-would-try-to-talk-our-dad-into-letting-us-stay-up/) [Justin Lin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-lin/) > [I work incredibly hard - just like every other person in business and work. And aside from the fact of, yes, I am the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-william-middleton/i-work-incredibly-hard-just-like-every-other-person-in-business-and/) [James William Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-william-middleton/) > [I have 10 brothers and sisters. My mother raised us because my father died when I was 8.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerry-kennedy/i-have-10-brothers-and-sisters-my-mother-raised-us-because-my-father/) [Kerry Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerry-kennedy/) > [A League of Their Own' had some special meaning for me, I guess - it's about women joining together and being empowered, but also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebel-wilson/a-league-of-their-own-had-some-special-meaning-for-me-i-guess-it-s/) [Rebel Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebel-wilson/) > [My older brothers were both basketball players so I just grew up around the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brook-lopez/my-older-brothers-were-both-basketball-players-so-i-just-grew-up/) [Brook Lopez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brook-lopez/) [Browse all 3,733 Brotherhood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Even though I was there through it all, it is hard for me to comprehend that I was growing up with brothers who would eventually occupy the highest offices of our nation, including president of the United States.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Jean Kennedy Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-it-is-hard-for-me-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brotherhood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-it-is-hard-for-me-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_brotherhood_even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-i_2420957.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_brotherhood_even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-i_2420957.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/jean-kennedy-smith-15413_brotherhood_even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-i_2420957.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Even though I was there through it all, it is hard for me to comprehend that I was growing up with brothers…” — Jean Kennedy Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Jean Kennedy Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-kennedy-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Even though I was there through...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-it-is-hard-for-me-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-kennedy-smith/even-though-i-was-there-through-it-all-it-is-hard-for-me-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```