Aristophanes tells us that "...[Man] could walk upright as men now do, backwards or forwards as he pleased, and he could also roll over and over at a great pace, turning on his four hands and four feet, eight in all, like tumblers going over and over with their legs in the air; this was when he wanted to run fast …Terrible was their might and strength, and the thoughts of their hearts were great, and they made an attack upon the gods ... Doubt reigned in the celestial councils...At last, after a good deal of reflection, Zeus discovered a way. He said: 'I have a plan which will humble their pride and improve their manners; men shall continue to exist, but I will cut them in two and then they will be diminished in strength and increased in numbers; this will have the advantage of making them more profitable to us. They shall walk upright on two legs, and if they continue insolent and will not be quiet, I will split them again and they shall hop about on a single leg." (Aristophanes, Plato’s Symposium) So now we're destined to find our other halves, our soul mates, to reunite and rejoin.
Then there are those who believe soul mates are never on the same astroplane at the same time. that we are each half of a whole - opposites - and will not be reunited until after many reincarnations and our karmic debts are paid. Then fusing us back together as one.
Other's don't believe there are such things as "soul mates" but rather that we all have multiple "kindred spirits" that come and go out of our lives time and time again. This could be your best friend, your first grade school crush or even your Crazy Aunt Louise. They serve a purpose and will always be connected to you and there isn't just one.
LOL. I have to admit this makes me think of the Friends pilot episode when Joey tells Ross there is no such thing as "One Woman"...and that's like saying there is only "one kind of icecream" for every person.
"Ross: You know what the scariest part is? What if there's only one woman for everybody, you know? I mean, what if you get one woman, and that's it? Unfortunately, in my case, it was only one woman for her.
Joey: What are you talking about? One woman? That's like saying there's only one flavor of ice cream for you. Let me tell you something, Ross. There's lots of flavors out there. There's Rocky Road, and Cookie Dough and Bing. Cherry Vanilla."
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Yesterday, at lunch with co-workers, we were discussing relationships and one co-worker mentioned how she was disappointed her bff didn't marry a man that "made her Sparkle"....he was a nice man who treated her friend well but he "just wasn't the one". The other co-worker said how some times people get tired of looking for that Sparkle and settle on a few little sparks.
I didn't mention it at the time but that conversation did "spark" something inside of me.
Have I ever Sparkled? I feel like I've Sparkled...is it something only other people can see? Something only those close to you can tell? Would you know if someone made you Sparkle or could you just be disillusioned by lust to think they made you Sparkle?
How can you tell if someone Sparkles? Is it when they are physically near their significant other? Can they be mearly talking about...or even just thinking about their partner?
Who is anyone to tell me (or anyone else for that matter) if their partner does or doesn't make them Sparkle? Can't a relationship grow and develop into a Sparkle just like a Sparkle can go out?
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I think a text early in the morning saying "thinking of you" is more romantic than a hundred Hallmark cards poetically expressing love. A single handpicked daisy, just because it's a Tuesday, means more than two dozen roses on Valentine's Day. I'm a hopeless romantic what can I say?
I've long believed in soul mates...well maybe something more like a combination of soul mates and kindred spirits. I think that a soul mate does complete you (do I dare quote Jerry McGuire?), that they challenge you in areas that you need challenging, they are opposite and complimentary at the same time.
They push - you pull.
But kindred spirits (can) do the same. There are people in my life who have strengths where I have weaknesses and vice verse. I think a soul mate has a little extra touch of something special though.
...Call it a Sparkle...
...Call it a warm fuzzy feeling...
Either way you just know there is something extra special about this person. Something unlike anyone else and I don't think anyone can know except you and that soul mate.
Great points Ms. Morgan! There is definitely more than one type of special person out there for all of us, and they can come in many forms. Don't forget about the profound effect that having kids can cause in one's life. There are plenty of people out there that can bring out the sparkle in each of us, and that sparkle can come from different parts of us. Great post! I loved it!
ReplyDeleteAlthough I used to belive in love whole heartedly, I now find it difficult to believe in soul mates and true love. Love has a tendency to make individuals dumd, deaf, and blind to the realities of the world. Love distracts people from their goals, their own ambitions, and their own identity. When you decide to be with someone, you are in many ways making the compromise to give up a part of your life, and yourself, to be with that person - to compromise with their bad habits and their busy sechdules. I feel, in the deepest cavities of my heart, that I have been in love. I experienced that complex set of story book, head over heels, "sparkle" like emotions before. But the physical logisitcs of our love (of dear I say a "true" love) story forced that flame to fizzle. I am a bit of a cautionary tale I imagine, being that my views on love are jaded. I can only hope that deserving people find love (deserving meaning those who do not take advantage of love by cheating, lieing, or leading someone to belive that they are loved) and happiness and honesty in another person, however, I think that you must know what you want and who you are before you become tangled up in someone elses life. There is no need to set a realtionship up for failure because you are not ready to be in one. Love is a responsibility and a privilege. i hope you all find what you are looking for, whether that be a soul mate or a kindered spirit, and when you find him/her, I hope you handle with care the relationship that unfolds.
ReplyDeleteI really needed this and can definitely relate, although I'm kind of confused as well about how to really know if it's just lust, a special sparkle, or what...Great blog post!
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