Love is about mutual respect, apart from attraction.

Hear the words of George Best, a man who knew both triumph and trial: “Love is about mutual respect, apart from attraction.” Though he spoke them from the realm of sport and fame, the truth in these words transcends the stadium and enters the sanctuary of the human heart. For attraction is like fire—bright, dazzling, but fleeting. Respect is the enduring stone upon which the temple of love must be built. Without it, the flames die and leave only ash; with it, the fire is sheltered and endures through storm and age.

The ancients knew this well. They spoke of eros, the fiery passion that draws bodies together, and of philia, the bond of friendship that joins souls. But highest of all they named agape, the steadfast, selfless love that rests upon reverence and loyalty. George Best, though known for his brilliance on the field and the adoration it brought, looked beyond mere attraction and spoke of this deeper law: that true love survives not on passion’s spark alone, but on the steady fuel of mutual respect.

Consider the union of Marcus Aurelius and his wife, Faustina. Though theirs was not without trial, it is said that the emperor, philosopher of Rome, treated her with honor and bore the burdens of marriage with patience and fidelity. His writings in the Meditations often return to gratitude for those who taught him humility, kindness, and fairness—qualities that shape a bond built on respect rather than the shifting sands of desire. History remembers him not only as a ruler but as a man who sought to love with dignity, an example of what Best’s words proclaim.

For what is attraction but a spark of the senses? It draws the eye, excites the heart, and intoxicates the mind. Yet it can be blind, fleeting, and shallow. Respect, however, is the recognition of the other’s dignity—the willingness to honor their thoughts, their choices, their very being. When two souls treat each other as sacred, then their love becomes unbreakable. Even when beauty fades, when strength declines, when youth departs, respect endures, and with it, the bond that attraction alone cannot preserve.

Let us then be warned: to mistake attraction for love is to build a house upon sand. The rains will come, the winds will blow, and the house will fall. But to root love in mutual respect is to build upon rock; no storm can bring it low. This is why many unions falter, while others endure decades and trials—because respect is the hidden pillar that holds them upright when passion wanes.

The lesson is clear and timeless: in love, seek not only the thrill of attraction, but the nobility of respect. Cherish the other not only for the beauty of their face, but for the worth of their soul. Speak truth, listen with patience, honor their dignity as equal to your own. In friendship, in marriage, in companionship, let respect be the bedrock. For where respect dwells, attraction finds meaning; where respect is absent, attraction becomes hollow.

Therefore, O listener, let these words guide you: pursue not merely the fire that dazzles, but the foundation that sustains. Love your partner as one deserving of reverence, not as one to be possessed. In this way, you will walk the ancient path of enduring love, where passion is tempered by respect, and where union becomes not a fleeting pleasure, but a lifelong covenant of honor and care.