Magnets

What ultimately are we as humans attracted to?  The more I think about it, the less clear it is. I break it down to two major factors: equivalent wisdom and preferred being.

In short: we are fundamentally attracted to people from whom we can learn, and those who put us in a state of mind where we are the best version of ourselves when they are around.

This has little to do with appearance. That is young, fleeting lust. Attraction is a selfish act that is catch-22.

You love because you must. It's not like you have a choice in the matter.

A simple matter...

A little boy of about 5 years old was staring at bronze nude statue downtown. Pointing to her rubbed-shiny crotch he said,  "Mom? What is this?"

Before steering him away, the mom quietly replied,  "a woman."

Took me a full block of walking to hear the memory in her voice.

Hardcore.

Crowded on the way to work, but found a seat next to this guy probably 18 or 19. He sat there very thugged out in baggy pants, flannel, gold chains, gold tooth, smelling like so much cologne.
He was also talking very loudly on the phone next to me.

"Yeah, I heardja.  I'll be derr. Don't be all like dat."

He went off or some time on the person on the other end of the call. When he was done, he pulled his iPhone from his head, and I glanced over only to see the screen:

A picture of a sweet lady, and in white letters at the top of the screen, "Mommy."