Naguib Mahfouz's quote highlights the intense human desire for love and connection. It suggests that this yearning may stem from a deep-seated need to counterbalance or halt the euphoric feelings experienced during the initial stages of creation or existence. The reference to being "exposed to everything" indicates a vulnerability and openness to emotions that can encompass both joy and pain.
The passage also reflects on the struggles intrinsic to life, derived from millions of years of evolution and existence, which have shaped our understanding of love. The "secret of the secrets of life" alludes to the profound mysteries that lay beneath our emotions, revealing that love is both a powerful and complex force stemming from our shared history and human experience.