Tonight, surprisingly, I found myself wondering about Ted Kennedy’s funeral -specifically- the eulogy.

No matter what you thought of the man or the politician, his considerable political impact is, simply put, fact. Be it right or wrong.

Some called him a “lion”, others called him a “coward”. There was very little gray area when it came to appreciating Kennedy; he was either beloved or despised. Perseverance, again, simply put.

While some would like to envision his deceased brothers, John and Bobby, reaching out to him from a heavenly sailboat to take him, finally, aboard – others envision a cold, wet feminine hand reaching up to grasp him and take him beneath still Massachusetts tidal channel waters.

No doubt, there wil be certain words echoed in whatever eulogy is delivered during his services. “Patriot”, “Leader”,”Public Service” and “Civil Rights”. And certainly there will be at least one word not mentioned, “Chappaquiddick”.

Unfortunately, no matter who speaks at his funeral, the one person who could have given the best eulogy no longer can: he, himself.

He mastered memories and memorials in words that supersede both scandals and political achievements.

His words immortalized Robert Kennedy: “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.”

He reminded us that Jacqueline Kennedy was too young to be a widow and too young to die as she did: “She graced our history.  And for those of us who knew and loved her – she graced our lives.”

He expressed regrets of future dreams at the loss of his nephew, John Kennedy, Jr: “We dared to think that this John Kennedy would live to comb gray hair, with his beloved Carolyn by his side. But like his father, he had every gift but length of years.”

I remember talking politics with Deb at work one day and mentioning Kennedy. I told her, “You know, he sure can give a good eulogy.” Even she conceded that.

Go rest high on that mountain,
Son, your work on earth is done