"Nous n'aimons jamais personne. Nous aimons seulement notre idée de ce que quelqu'un est. Nous aimons une idée à nous; en bref, c'est nous-mêmes que nous aimons."

Simplified Meaning:

Sometimes, when we say we love someone, what we actually love is the picture we have made up of that person in our minds. It means we might not really see the person for who they are, but instead, we focus on what we hope or imagine them to be. For example, if you have a friend who you think is always kind and funny, you might ignore times when they're not so kind because you love the idea of them being nice. This shows that the love stems from your own imagination rather than the real traits of the person. It suggests that we are often loving our own expectations or fantasies. To apply this in your life, try to see people for who they truly are and appreciate them without projecting your own wishes onto them. This way, your relationships will be more genuine and less about your own idealized version of reality.