Mom… this might sound silly but I love you and have loved you for a long time.
I was inspired to write this article after a conversation I had with my best friend Sam. Having both grown up in a Christian household, there had always been a defined belief as to what constitutes a soul. Now, I am not here to get into theology, but I have always been drawn to the notion of soul connections. I should preface that I am a very open and spiritual person. If you find this article in any way shocking, I encourage you to explore the teachings of reincarnation by seeking out the writings of Dr. Brian Weiss. The concept of the soul, for me, transcends morality and ethics to represent the universal meaning of our existence. Not only do I believe that there are reasons why our souls exist here at this very moment, allowing us to learn, accomplish, aid and love, but the soul carries out a universal karmic purpose.
I believe that destiny breathes within the relationships we have as many soul connections exist to educate us. I have been through enough experiences to know that not every soul you encounter is destined to help guide you through your journey. We are living to learn “from the slings and arrows of outrageous fortuned [and] take arms against the sea of troubles”. Our experiences in life are more than our thoughts and beliefs, extending to the experience itself. We are conditioned to base our life satisfaction on the actions and feelings of others, rather than embracing ourselves. We are bound by a contract to live. Life truly encompasses our willingness to open ourselves to every experience and therein live life fully. As Buddha said, “There is no path to happiness: happiness is the path”, therefore we must be open to taking up our course of life, no matter what happens. There is so much to be gained from the emotions brought forth from experience such as contentment, delight, thrill, affliction, longing, and desire. The peculiarities of universal existence are much more than mere fortune and struggle, rather they exist within a great realm of universal karmic action; where none of our human moral laws govern is where we are truly made to experience all of life.
There are a vast abundance of soul connections in life. Contrary to what you might believe, we are not here alone. We share our experiences with a variety of souls. We live among souls from our past lifetimes and within these karmic relationships learn treasurable lessons. For me, an admittedly young and naive soul, I have dealt with the pain and loss of separating from my soul connections, but I have been fortunate enough to learn and love them. It is because of them that I have been able to experience loss and closure. These strong emotions are both equally necessary and intoxicant. I have known twin flames, have experienced that sensation of believing you have met your other half. I can recognize the karmic connection of my soul groups. I value my small family as souls that I have been able to share this plane with many times. Just a note, this is a common experience shared in life connections but not always the connection for all souls equally. Sometimes we must simply learn a lesson or experience something rather than receive a valuable connection with all souls.
Sam, for example, was the type of person I had an instant connection with. Upon our first interaction, we both recognized some link between us. Within our first few weeks of meeting each other, we both knew we were meant to be friends, to help one another. Sam has helped me through quite a bit in the short time I have known him and I will be eternally thankful for the kindness and generosity his sublime soul has shared with me.
Back to the reason, I am writing this article, in a conversation Sam and I had a few evenings ago he reminded me of a story I once shared with him:
A few summers ago I, by chance, got a job working the wood-fired pizza oven at a winery; it was simply the right time. I filled in for a friend and by the end of my shift, they wanted me to return. I ended up working this job for two summers and ended my term due to unforeseen circumstances. Yet, in that time I found one of the sweetest soul connections I have made to date. Pete was in his late sixties when I met him. We became friends quite quickly and were able to open up to one another about our lives, the highs and lows. I consider him a mentor as in the short time we knew each other, he made a great impact in understanding who I am and I am better for it. A few weeks into knowing Pete he told me he had a special, silly little gift to share; it was marble. This seemingly inconspicuous, valueless thing is a priceless object to me. Pete shared that when he was younger he calculated the average life expectancy for a man. For each week left in his projected life he bought a marble and put it into a glass jar. Every week Pete takes a marble out, watching the weeks turn to years as the jar slowly empties. He is always reminded to savor every marble. He shared that he usually does something with each marble, using it as a wishing stone, placing it somewhere meaningful or giving it to someone who has made an impact on his life. More deeply we shared a philosophy: each soul exists in a single pool and those few souls with which we feel deeply drawn to come from this pool. In a way we exist within these individuals and vice versa. In life we are drawn and connected to one another. This is a philosophy I picked up from an amazing, elderly Irish woman I met.
Variety is truly the spice of life. I have learned to appreciate the comic, cosmic reality, to laugh and revel in the deep connections. Life is short. It is not an easy thing, but every experience becomes a chance to continue growing. Writing this out seems strange but unwaveringly true. I am fortunate to have lived every moment and experience I have had. No amount of happiness or sorrow has overshadowed the other, rather each moment, simple or complex, has shaped me into who I am. I am grateful to be here, to be in this moment, for the life I have lived and the life I will live. Life is the luck of the draw, a place to learn. We must all remind ourselves that we are here to feel great emotions, to learn, to love, to share, and to experience, and no matter what happens we are never truly alone.
This article is dedicated to the soul connections I have made and the friends I have been lucky to know.
