Quote:
Originally Posted by sundog
Hi (((((Nola))))) 
I think it depends what people understand by the term soul mate. If it is understood as some kind of once in a lifetime "perfect match", then I don't personally believe in that. If the term is understood to mean someone who you love deeply - imperfections and all - and who loves you back and with whom you are in a committed relationship, then I do believe in that.
I am married to a wonderful man. I love him very much and I know he loves me. We do have our issues and we've had some struggles, but we've been married almost 10 years and I hope we will stay together forever, warts and all.
However, I have been in love with other men, and my husband has been in love with other women (I'm talking about before we met each other). So I don't personally believe in the concept that there is only one person in your lifetime that you can ever truly love.
I do think you can have more than one "soul mate" (though preferably not at the same time!!!!  ) |
What a beautiful post, sundog--a nexus of hopeful expectations and real-life experience, romance and practicality--thank you so much.
I think perhaps the idealized, universe-given notion of a soul mate may belong to the honeymoon stages of a relationship, and the type of soul mate you've described, one who is loved with great depth and accepted with all his/her shortcomings is the one with whom a lifetime is possible. I do feel that "cosmic alignment" one may feel when still slack jawed and swooning helps me maintain a belief in soul mates, but I am a softy and a romantic, so I'm kind of obligated in that regard.
But I'm not in love with love itself, and enjoy the progression of the relationship into a true partnership, one worth sharing and helping grow and thrive.
Your marriage sounds so loving and wonderful, to say the least, and I wish you the transcendent eternity together you both most certainly deserve.
((((((((((sundog))))))))))))