لا يستطيع أحدٌ أن يدرك جوهر إنسانٍ آخر إدراكاً تامّاً ما لم يُحبّه. فبالحب يغدو قادراً على رؤية السمات والملامح الجوهرية في المحبوب، بل ويرى ما فيه من إمكانات لم تتحقق بعد. ثم إنّ المحبّ بحبّه يمكّن المحبوبَ من تحقيق تلك الإمكانات؛ فإذ يُشعره بما يستطيع أن يكون وما ينبغي أن يصير، يجعل تلك الإمكانات حقيقةً واقعة.

“No one can become fully aware of the very essence of another human being until he loves him. By his love he is enabled to see the essential traits and features in the beloved person; and even more, he sees that which is potential in him, which is not yet actualized. Furthermore, by his love, the loving person enables the beloved person to actualize these potentialities. By making him aware of what he can be and what he should become, he makes these potentialities come true.”Viktor E. Frankl