Soul Mates

It is a myth that we have only one soulmate. We have more soulmates than we consciously know. The limiting definition of "soulmate" holds that we have one special partner, destined to be with us throughout our adult years. Supporting us, loving us, being the central figure of our lives. For many, this brand of soulmate arrives and stays. For many, this brand arrives and leaves or never arrives at all. It matters not. Soulmates are everywhere.

There is no limit to the packaging in which a soulmate can arrive in our lives. They can be young or old, male or female. They can be black, white, red, brown, yellow or pink. They can be our parent, our grandparent, our sibling, our cousin. They can be our friend, our co-worker, our rival, our enemy. They can stay for a lifetime. They can stay for a minute. They can shower us with love. They can shower us with hate.

A true soulmate is one who comes into our lives to assist in the positive growth of our soul. A true soulmate stretches us to become more than we feel capable of becoming. A true soulmate is under Universal contract to support us in expressing the God-essence at the core of our soul. The essence that knows only compassion, only gratitude and only love. The essence that can forgive all transgressions. The essence that can see the perfection in the flaws.

The comfortable and preferred soulmates are the ones we bond with at a deep level. The ones of like mind. The ones who make us laugh out loud. The ones whose aid we rush to. The ones who give us safe space in which to know the limitlessness of our hearts.

The uncomfortable and least preferred soulmates are the ones who show up for a minute or a seeming millennium. The ones who strongly disagree with us. The ones who won't support us. The ones that would seek to harm us. The ones whose hearts are closed.

These are the soulmates the Universe sends when we are in need of metaphorical open-heart surgery. When we are in need of learning and embracing the virtues of forgiveness and humbleness and the bone-deep understanding of walking in another's shoes. These least preferred soulmates come into our lives when we are least compassionate with ourselves and least forgiving of ourselves. When we are hell-bent on pummeling and suppressing the God-essence within us. Because everyone we meet is a mirror for how we feel about ourselves and a mirror for how we are currently treating ourselves.

These least preferred and often unaware soulmates are the guardians of the gate that lead us back to the path of our soul's mission. When we can muster forgiveness and compassion and peace in the face of rage and hatred and criticism, we pass the through the gate and return to our mission of knowing and sharing our God-essence. We return to enjoying life with our comfortable soulmates. We return to respecting ourselves, loving ourselves and sharing our best selves with the world.