Tuesday, November 30

Soul mates

My aunt just got engaged! It is quite exciting. From the perspective of me, it'll be rad to have an uncle, finally. They've only known each other for 10 months. I guess when you know, you know (now that's a brilliant statement). They do have very similar views and values.

My question (for myself) is how do you know? Is it based on how similar the people are, or their values? What other objective things are there? Or is it primarily based on subjective areas such as feelings? I suppose being as mature as they are helps a lot. I still have to learn a lot more about my self before I could presume to know what kind of soul mate I would have. Hmm, in Good Will Hunting, the psychiatrist askes Will if he has a soul mate, describing a soul mate as someone who challenges you (to growth?).

I don't know. In the midst of the excitement, I just started to think about these questions. I'll try to sort through it for myself, but insights are welcome as always.

2 comments:

  1. How do you know? I think you've already provided much of the answer... "They do have very similar views and values".

    Emotions are nothing more than physical reactions and responses to what the external world feeds us. One should rarely make decisions based on emotion, and if one has a well-formed conscience and intellect, when an event occurs requiring immediate action (such as helping an accident or heart attack victim) our emotions won't overwhelm and paralyze us because we've exercised those physical brain paths (the directions that thoughts take within the brain wiring) in a real intellectual/spiritual battle that builds the "right (or righteous) way" to discern the "way". Emotions (and possibly some strains of liberalism and conservatism) cause the brain (and the possessor thereof) to seek, like water, the path of least anxious resistance. If we've built up our ability to look at things from a non-emotional way... and all people with emotions not affected by sin (sex, drugs, et. al.) and desiring the enlightenment of their Supreme Being (not necessarily feeling they possess it, but we are requested to "seek" to "find") should have the armaments with which to discern.

    1. Similar views and values.
    2. Good relationship with their parents.
    3. Well-liked by the other's family.
    4. Can easily discuss their own relationship with God, their "couple" relationship with God and the nature and joy of the Gift (Jesus).
    5. Similar political beliefs, which is an off-shoot of number 4.
    6. Optional, but perhaps a requirement... the crushing weight of a failed relationship(s) from which to provide a measuring stick.

    I think that there are plenty of soul-mates out there. I also believe that God, because of His Supreme Goodness, at all times and in all situations, offers us the Grace to make the right choice that continues us on the road to Him. But we make so many bad choices that He has to go to plan B, plan C, etc., with each plan the perfect plan for our salvation. And I suspect that we are all into double-alpha plans by the time we wake up and take the bait!

    Have an outSTANding day!

    Stan

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  2. Thanks for the insights, Stan.

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