Saturday, May 10, 2008

An amazing quote...

There is a line in W.H. Auden's "September 1, 1939" which states, "We must love one another or die." That in itself is a hugely powerful quote. Just think about the importance that places on the both incredibly simple yet incomprehensible act of love... if we didn't love one another, that lack of connection with another human being would be enough to kill us.

However, Auden later changed the quote because he considered it dishonest. A single changed word turns a powerful quote into an unforgettable one. "We must love one another and die." Loving each other will not keep us from our ultimate fate. Love will not save us like so many people seem to believe. Love is not a magical emotion that extends our life indefinitely. Love does not make us immortal. However, it's something we must do. As certain as death is love. Death is the one thing that unites humans. Despite all our differences, we must die. But Auden adds another certainty, another connection. Not only must we die, but we must love. Love is as inevitable and as natural to the human condition as death.

Just think about it.

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