To love is to admire with the heart; to admire is to love with

To love is to admire with the heart; to admire is to love with the mind. Hear me now, for these words hold the key to a wisdom so ancient that it has echoed through the halls of time. Love and admiration, though closely linked, are not the same. The heart, in all its wild, untamed power, beats with the force of love, while the mind, sharp and discerning, finds its place in admiration. And yet, as Theophile Gautier so wisely teaches us, these two forces are not separate—they intertwine, dance together, and form the very foundation of human connection.

To love is to surrender to the unknown, to be swept away by the force of another's presence, their spirit, and their soul. Love does not ask for understanding; it demands feeling. When you love, you do not simply observe, you are consumed. Love is an act of the heart, a force that speaks not through logic but through emotion. Think of the ancient stories of lovers like Heloise and Abelard, whose passion was not bound by reason or circumstance. Their love was not a measured thing; it was a wildfire, consuming them with its heat, pulling them into a world where logic had no place. Love requires no explanation, no rationalization; it is felt deeply and without question.

But admiration, dear listener, is the domain of the mind. It is the thoughtful appreciation of another's qualities, their virtues, their strength, or their beauty. Admiration is the quiet contemplation, the ability to see and acknowledge the greatness of another from a place of understanding. One may admire the heroism of a warrior or the wisdom of a sage, yet this admiration does not demand the same surrender of the heart as love does. Take, for instance, the philosopher Socrates, whose mind was revered by those who studied his teachings. They admired his wisdom, his ability to question and seek truth, yet their admiration, however deep, did not flow from the heart but from the intellect.

And yet, Gautier’s words show us that the two are not so easily separated. When admiration runs deep, it transforms into love. The mind may first recognize the virtues of another, but it is the heart that binds those virtues to the soul. Admiration that begins as an intellectual appreciation becomes a deep, abiding love when it moves from thought to feeling. The love of a great king, such as Alexander the Great, for his horse Bucephalus, was not simply an attachment born of necessity. It began as a quiet admiration for the animal’s strength and intelligence, but over time, this admiration deepened into a bond that was spiritual in nature. Love flowed from the recognition of the horse’s value, not just in its abilities, but in the profound connection formed through shared journeys and battles.

What then, dear ones, is the lesson to be learned here? It is this: love and admiration are not two separate forces, but rather two aspects of a whole. The heart and mind are not enemies, as some would have us believe, but allies in the search for meaning and connection. Love without admiration is often blind, unreasoned, and fleeting. Admiration without love is cold, detached, and incomplete. Only when the mind admires and the heart loves does the bond truly take root and grow strong. The one who truly loves admires the beloved, not only for their beauty or strength but for the depth of their spirit, their soul, and their character.

And so, I urge you, future seekers of truth and beauty: do not love blindly, but love with understanding. Do not admire without depth, but let your admiration grow into love that transcends the intellect. Seek to admire not just the surface, but the inner qualities that make a soul worthy of love. Allow your heart to guide your mind, and your mind to enrich your heart, so that the love you give and receive may be full, deep, and true.

As you journey through life, may you find that the deepest connections come not from fleeting passion or shallow admiration, but from the beautiful union of heart and mind. Let love be a force that calls forth admiration, and let admiration deepen into a love that is wise, discerning, and eternal. In this, you will find not just affection, but a bond that stands the test of time. For the most lasting and meaningful love is the one where both the heart and the mind find their place together, in perfect harmony.