---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To me, the idea and expectation that the…"
description: "\"To me, the idea and expectation that the day is slowly and surely coming when we will be able to honestly say we are our brother's keeper and not his o..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/thomas-a-edison-866_able_to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the_2243958.jpg"
---

#  To me, the idea and expectation that the day is slowly and…

![“To me, the idea and expectation that the day is slowly and surely coming when we will be able to honestly say we are our brother's keeper and not his oppressor is very beautiful .” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/thomas-a-edison-866_able_to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the_2243958.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/thomas-a-edison-866_able_to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the_2243958.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/thomas-a-edison-866_able_to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the_2243958.jpg)

> “To me, the idea and expectation that the day is slowly and surely coming when we will be able to honestly say we are our brother's keeper and not his oppressor is very beautiful .”

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The quote envisions a future where humanity treats each other as caretakers rather than oppressors, highlighting moral progress as beautiful and aspirational.

**In simple terms:** We should aim to be caretakers, not oppressors.

Key Takeaway

Strive for compassionate responsibility.

Themes

ethics humanity future morality

Mood

hopeful reflective

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- community building
- policy making
- education reform
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

social responsibility brotherhood idealism

Questions to Reflect On

- How can we translate this vision into concrete actions?
- What obstacles prevent us from becoming true caretakers?

A Different Perspective

Idealism may overlook practical challenges of power dynamics.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brother's Keeper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-keeper/) [Brotherhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brotherhood/) [Day Slowly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/day-slowly-1837991/) [Expectation Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectation-day-5099800/) [Expectations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expectations/) [Honestly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honestly/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Keepers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/keepers/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Oppressors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppressors/) [Say Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say-brother-2015388/) [Slowly Surely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slowly-surely-1505242/) [Surely Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surely-coming-2034577/) [Very beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/very-beautiful/)

## Related quotes

> [“Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! – Revelation 22:20”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/surely-i-am-coming-quickly-amen-even-so-come-lord-jesus-revelation-22/)

[Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/)

> [Oh, Spring is surely coming, Her couriers fill the air; Each morn are new arrivals, Each night her ways prepare; I scent her fragrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/oh-spring-is-surely-coming-her-couriers-fill-the-air-each-morn-are/)

[John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/)

> [The day is done; and slowly from the scene the stooping sun upgathers his spent shafts, and puts them back into his golden quiver!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/the-day-is-done-and-slowly-from-the-scene-the-stooping-sun-upgathers/)

[Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/)

> [“When we start in the morning, there are hundreds of tasks which we feel that we must accomplish that day, but if we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-carnegie/when-we-start-in-the-morning-there-are-hundreds-of-tasks-which-we/)

[Dale Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-carnegie/)

> [Every single day I'm slowly slipping away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jasmine-laura/every-single-day-i-m-slowly-slipping-away/)

[Jasmine Laura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jasmine-laura/)

> [“It didn’t matter who he might have been. That was not who he was now. He created himself each day and slowly built his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ginn-hale/it-didn-t-matter-who-he-might-have-been-that-was-not-who-he-was-now/)

[Ginn Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ginn-hale/)

> [For some reason, ever since I was a little kid, I wake with the most energy of the day, and it slowly declines from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-sivers/for-some-reason-ever-since-i-was-a-little-kid-i-wake-with-the-most/)

[Derek Sivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-sivers/)

> [“On the other side of this darkness, a new day will slowly dawn.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corban-addison/on-the-other-side-of-this-darkness-a-new-day-will-slowly-dawn/)

[Corban Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corban-addison/)

> [The Christian ought not to say anything behind his brother's back with the object of calumniating him, for this is slander, even if what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-basil/the-christian-ought-not-to-say-anything-behind-his-brother-s-back/)

[Saint Basil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-basil/)

> [“You never live with a woman, you live inside of her, I overheard my father say to my brother once, and it was, indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-maria-machado/you-never-live-with-a-woman-you-live-inside-of-her-i-overheard-my/)

[Carmen Maria Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-maria-machado/)

> [“This is too grand to be said (so I’m just the man to say it), but I can’t be my brother’s brother for nothing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/this-is-too-grand-to-be-said-so-i-m-just-the-man-to-say-it-but-i-can/)

[J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/)

> [My sister called me "Buzzard" when I was a baby - she couldn't say "Brother" so I've been Buzz my whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/my-sister-called-me-buzzard-when-i-was-a-baby-she-couldn-t-say/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [“You're the most important person in my life," I said. He didn't say anything. "You're my brother," I said. He didn't say anything. "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-marsden/you-re-the-most-important-person-in-my-life-i-said-he-didn-t-say/)

[John Marsden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-marsden/)

> [I didn't want people to say his brother Bing sings better than he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-crosby/i-didn-t-want-people-to-say-his-brother-bing-sings-better-than-he-does/)

[Bob Crosby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-crosby/)

> [“ United we stand, divided we fall Just watch us as we beat ya’ll. You say ‘brother against brother’? Well, my brother screwed your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leila-sales/united-we-stand-divided-we-fall-just-watch-us-as-we-beat-ya-ll-you/)

[Leila Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leila-sales/)

## More by Thomas A. Edison

> [We are striking it big in the electric light, better than my vivid imagination first conceived. Where this thing is going to stop Lord…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/we-are-striking-it-big-in-the-electric-light-better-than-my-vivid/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [I will not say I failed 1000 times, I will say that I discovered there are 1000 ways that can cause failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-will-not-say-i-failed-1000-times-i-will-say-that-i-discovered-there/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [Friendship is the heaven of life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/friendship-is-the-heaven-of-life/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [Even though I am nearly deaf, I seem to be gifted with a kind of inner hearing which enables me to detect sounds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/even-though-i-am-nearly-deaf-i-seem-to-be-gifted-with-a-kind-of-inner/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/being-busy-does-not-always-mean-real-work-the-object-of-all-work-is/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [The very first thing an executive must have is a fine memory. Of course it does not follow that a man with a fine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-very-first-thing-an-executive-must-have-is-a-fine-memory-of/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [Personally, I enjoy working about 18 hours a day. Besides the short catnaps I take each day, I average about four to five hours…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/personally-i-enjoy-working-about-18-hours-a-day-besides-the-short/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [The brain can be developed just the same as the muscles can be developed, if on will only take the pains to train the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/the-brain-can-be-developed-just-the-same-as-the-muscles-can-be/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [“People who will not turn a shovel full of dirt on the project nor contribute a pound of material, will collect more money from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/people-who-will-not-turn-a-shovel-full-of-dirt-on-the-project-nor/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [When I have fully decided that a result is worth getting I go ahead of it and make trial after trial until it comes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/when-i-have-fully-decided-that-a-result-is-worth-getting-i-go-ahead/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [I remember that I was never able to get along at school. I was at the foot of the class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/i-remember-that-i-was-never-able-to-get-along-at-school-i-was-at-the/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [Invention is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/invention-is-10-inspiration-and-90-perspiration/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [There seems to be no limit to which some men will go to avoid the labor of thinking. Thinking is hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/there-seems-to-be-no-limit-to-which-some-men-will-go-to-avoid-the/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [Somewhere between the ages of eleven and fifteen, the average child begins to suffer from an atrophy, the paralysis of curiosity and the suspension…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/somewhere-between-the-ages-of-eleven-and-fifteen-the-average-child/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

> [Not only will atomic power be released, but someday we will harness the rise and fall of the tides and imprison the rays of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/not-only-will-atomic-power-be-released-but-someday-we-will-harness/)

[Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

[Explore all 345 Thomas A. Edison quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/)

## More Able quotes

> [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/)

[Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/)

> [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/)

[Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/)

> [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/)

[Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/)

> [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/)

[Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/)

[Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/)

> [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/)

[Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/)

> [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/)

[Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/)

> [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/)

[Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/)

> [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/)

[Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/)

> [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/)

[Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/)

> [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/)

[Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/)

> [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/)

[Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/)

> [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/)

[Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/)

[Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "To me, the idea and expectation that the day is slowly and surely coming when we will be able to honestly say we are our brother's keeper and not his oppressor is very beautiful .",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Thomas A. Edison"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the-day-is-slowly-and-surely/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Able"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the-day-is-slowly-and-surely/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/thomas-a-edison-866_able_to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the_2243958.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/thomas-a-edison-866_able_to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the_2243958.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0a0/thomas-a-edison-866_able_to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the_2243958.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To me, the idea and expectation that the day is slowly and surely coming when we will be able to honestly…” — Thomas A. Edison",
                "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": "Thomas A. Edison",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-edison/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "To me, the idea and expectation...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the-day-is-slowly-and-surely/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-edison/to-me-the-idea-and-expectation-that-the-day-is-slowly-and-surely/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
