I recently exchanged a pair of my spare sock pois for this lovely book from Elizabeth Gilbert. Best barter trade I’ve done in awhile now. The book is an undeniably good read, but what surprised me most was the warmth and honesty of this woman’s voice. To me, this book speaks more about hope, light, and the beauty of Life more than any of those sickly sweet Chicken Soup for the Soul types stories.

But the thing that really struck a chord with me was the conversation that she has with a character named Richard, who defines the term soul mate in his own terms.

“People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that’s holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down you walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then they leave. Thank God for it.”

I couldn’t agree more. I believe that I’ve glimpsed into that mirror of a soul mate who has come and gone, who has revealed and challenged my ideals about love and life, and who has definitely sparked a change in me (for the better I hope). And now I wonder… will you meet more than one soul mate in this lifetime?