I often imagine what different scenarios would sound like if heard by aliens. This phrase especially would boggle their three conjoined minds. The one what?
We would have to explain to the aliens that we mean our soulmate - the person that we are destined to marry and spend the rest of our lives with.
I'm sure the aliens would still be confused. They would have many questions like "Does everyone have one of these? What if your population is an odd number?"
These are some of the same questions that I have been thinking for months. It all started with reading a quote from Plato.
According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves.
When I read this, I started thinking. Often this kind of thinking is a process that lasts for months on and off until I find the answer I am looking for. The process began with the thought "What a sad existence."
If one truly believed Plato's line of thinking, then the sole purpose of living would be to find another person. And there can only be one person, so you must be very careful to make the right choice. North American culture really emphasizes this preoccupation with finding an ideal mate. Movies and music continually feed the perception that this is the most important priority. This could be thought of as an evolutionary instinct to ensure the continued procreation of our species, but it has become far more than that.
Our culture's fascination with finding our soulmate is insane. It fills up so much of our media intake and much of our conversations. I am sorry to say that I find it most prevalent in the Christian sub-culture. I used to work in a Christian bookstore where most of the fiction was romance and the teen non fiction section was at least half full of dating books. Christian dating sites are incredibly popular. Bible College has gained the nickname Bridal College.
Really think about that last line.
Let's talk about soulmates for a second. This word implies that we have half of a soul, much like Plato's quote. However, that is definitely not Biblical. We were created whole and have the image of God in us. We are broken because of sin, but no human being can complete that work in us. Only Jesus can. We live for much more than finding one human being for own completion.
We are partnered with the Creator of the universe on a quest to bring the earth back to its original beauty. We fight dark powers that threaten the poor and oppressed. We give grace and love to those who never felt it before. This is our true purpose!
I want to redefine soulmates. It's such a gorgeous word that I want to keep it in my vocabulary. I want to use it to describe the people in my life that I have a soul connection with. These people are just as broken as I am, but some of their pieces match mine. They can be any age, gender, or background. We sort of understand each other without saying anything. Some people may have this when it comes to spirituality, world issues, or just in the way that we communicate. A soulmate can definitely be a spouse, but he or she is one of many people who have this soul connection. Some of my soulmates are writers or singers who have expressed my fears and dreams in a way that I could not. They help me to become a better version of myself that is more able to help others.
I want to think bigger than marriage. I'm not hating on marriage, I think it's a pretty amazing concept that two broken people can share their lives forever. However, I want to have my heart set on a plan that is greater than that. A dream that is beyond anything that we could ever imagine. I want to follow what Jesus has in mind for my life.
Now I just have to explain that to the aliens. :)
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