Soulmates
The word conjures up a specific meaning within our culture. For women, it has something to do with a happily ever after & a man on white horse gallivanting away with us.
But what if our "Soulmates," our REAL Soulmates, are more than just the opposite sex in a romantic relationship?
What if our Soulmates are the people planted smack dab in the middle of our lives, (with or without fair warning), that change us, that teach us valuable lessons, that when they leave our lives, leave us with an indelible mark that they were there? What if they are some of the most aggravating, & antagonizing people that have crossed our path?
I think broadening our definition of the term Soulmate to include those people serves us well. There is a manager I worked with who was so difficult, I couldn't stand the thought of him. He taught me some of the most valuable lessons on how to manage people, practically, by my being dragged through the mud to do it. I have notches on my managerial tool belt that I can contribute directly to him. At the time, it was sheer hell. In retrospect, I was attending some serious soul school with an amazing professor.
When we're in the midst of deep emotional turmoil with others & can't see straight, it's beyond difficult to see the silver lining & think, "Wow, some day I'll look back on this & be grateful he treated me like crap."
I guess the best thing to keep your chin up is to just bear in mind, what my Soul Sister & I said as teenagers, "Everything happens for a reason."
So, the next time you get some deep, negative emotions stirred up by someone in your life, whether it be someone you just met, a person who may be temporarily passing through your life, or a long time friend, take the situation out of the face value context & think, maybe this is a Soulmate of another sort.
The word conjures up a specific meaning within our culture. For women, it has something to do with a happily ever after & a man on white horse gallivanting away with us.
But what if our "Soulmates," our REAL Soulmates, are more than just the opposite sex in a romantic relationship?
What if our Soulmates are the people planted smack dab in the middle of our lives, (with or without fair warning), that change us, that teach us valuable lessons, that when they leave our lives, leave us with an indelible mark that they were there? What if they are some of the most aggravating, & antagonizing people that have crossed our path?
I think broadening our definition of the term Soulmate to include those people serves us well. There is a manager I worked with who was so difficult, I couldn't stand the thought of him. He taught me some of the most valuable lessons on how to manage people, practically, by my being dragged through the mud to do it. I have notches on my managerial tool belt that I can contribute directly to him. At the time, it was sheer hell. In retrospect, I was attending some serious soul school with an amazing professor.
When we're in the midst of deep emotional turmoil with others & can't see straight, it's beyond difficult to see the silver lining & think, "Wow, some day I'll look back on this & be grateful he treated me like crap."
I guess the best thing to keep your chin up is to just bear in mind, what my Soul Sister & I said as teenagers, "Everything happens for a reason."
So, the next time you get some deep, negative emotions stirred up by someone in your life, whether it be someone you just met, a person who may be temporarily passing through your life, or a long time friend, take the situation out of the face value context & think, maybe this is a Soulmate of another sort.
