Thursday, May 7, 2009

An anecdote on soul mates

Another quote from my reading "eat, pray, love".....
"People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that's holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you will ever meet because they will tear down your walls and smack you awake."

When I read those words it really did kind of shake me for a second because it is so contrary to what we are taught and shown to believe. I have only had one person that I have ever come across in my life that I ever thought of as my soul mate. Thinking about it now it's kind of funny because it wasn't a serious relationship or anything, it was just a person that I connected with more then I ever have before and nothing ever felt like the right way to describe it other then a soul mate. Now the question is, does that mean that he was/is the only person I would be happy marrying? I certainly hope not as I haven't actually seen him in about 10 years and I think that his wife would probably have an issue with it as well.

So where does that leave us on the theory? I don't know and didn't really expect to share an answer but thought I would share the theory and at least get you thinking.

1 comment:

AmyBethJames said...

I don't believe in soulmates... I've decided it isn't a particularly Biblical idea. There is no one perfect person out there for you because there is no one perfect person. If you met someone who completed you exactly, there'd be no need for Christ. Love isn't magical in its nature, only in it's action. The act of loving someone, of choosing them every day, that's the way that people stay together.

But I do like what she said about meeting important people in your life who will "tear down your walls and smack you awake." I think that is important but it could just as easily come in a platonic friend relationship as in a romantic relationship. Really, in that sense, all Christians have a responsibility to be each other's "soulmates" - to hold accountable, to challenge, to deepen, to care more passionately about another's well-being over your own.