I like women. I don't understand them, but I like them.

The words of Sean Connery, “I like women. I don’t understand them, but I like them,” carry the playful humility of a man who acknowledges mystery while cherishing it. In them lies the recognition that women, with all their depths, emotions, and complexities, cannot be fully unraveled by the mind of man. Yet the absence of understanding does not diminish affection; instead, it strengthens it, for what is mysterious is often what draws us closer.

In the ancient spirit, this sentiment echoes the wisdom of poets who spoke of love as a force beyond reason. Women were seen as muses, enigmas who inspired songs, wars, and kingdoms, yet never could be reduced to logic. Connery’s words carry this same timeless awe: men may not claim to “understand,” but in their admiration, they confess that perhaps understanding is not the point. To love is greater than to master.

History gives us the tale of Héloïse and Abelard, the philosopher and the woman who matched his mind and surpassed his heart. Abelard, a scholar of sharp reason, found himself bewildered by Héloïse’s depth, her passion, her refusal to conform to expectation. He sought to explain her, but in the end, it was her unfathomable spirit that gave their love its enduring power. Connery’s words reflect this same paradox: liking without understanding, affection alongside mystery.

His statement also carries a wisdom about humility. Too many through history have sought to confine women by claiming to understand them completely—writing rules, roles, and doctrines to dictate their lives. Connery, with a touch of humor, admits the opposite: that he does not grasp the fullness of their nature, yet he honors it by his affection. This confession is itself a lesson in respect, for true admiration begins with recognizing what cannot be possessed.

So let this teaching endure: the greatest mysteries of life—love, beauty, the human soul—are not meant to be solved but embraced. To “like” without full “understanding” is not weakness but wisdom, for it allows the heart to dwell in wonder rather than domination. Connery’s words remind us that the enigma of women is not a barrier to affection, but the very reason affection is so profound. For what the mind cannot fully grasp, the heart may still cherish without end.