Heroes Not Zombies

I came across this quote from the poet, W.H Auden…..

Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.

It’s one of those quotations which instantly resonates as a truth, isn’t it? I think it’s true, but I’m not so sure about the other way round…….do I love those who make me laugh? Well, I’m certainly better disposed towards them, certainly LIKE them, but I can’t say I feel love towards all who make me laugh. I can’t think of anyone who I do love, who doesn’t make me laugh however. There’s something very bonding about sharing laughter with those we love.

Here’s the strange thing though, when I first read that quote, I read it quickly and I thought, yes, that’s true, all those whom I love, can make me laugh, and, yes, there’s no common denominator amongst those who I don’t like. But, hey, wait a moment! I just re-read the quote to post about it and it doesn’t say that! It says there’s no common denominator amongst those I “like or admire”. Goodness! How could I have mis-read that so significantly! Well, I did. I’d understand it if I had mis-read it, reading a “truth” instead of a phrase which didn’t ring true for me, but that’s not the explanation. I actually agree with the whole quote. Guess I focused in on the phrase which really resonated most strongly – the bit about all those I love being able to make me laugh, and then read the first part of the quote, seeing the opposite there – those I don’t love, in fact, those I don’t even like. Well, well. Just goes to show, we don’t always read a sentence in a straight linear manner and it’s not difficult to see what we preconceive, instead of what we perceive.