Love.

Just the sight of that word causes people to twist inside. In all ways possible. To some of us it is tangible, while for others, it’s somewhere out there. Always being chased and sought after, never to be captured.

We have all felt it at one point in our life and most likely been hurt “by it.”

Someone once told me once that we have many soul-mates in this life. Some for a reason, some for a season, and some for a life time. I loved hearing that because it resonated with me. I believe it to be true. I don’t believe that there is just one person that “completes” us in this life. We have many soul mates who help carve us into who we are supposed to be, and not all of them are lovers.

Some use gentle pushes, like when the potter gently molds his clay, forming it into something beautiful. While others, like the carver, use chisels and hammers to chip away at all that is not us. Each bang of the hammer forming us into a strong carved structure.

The most important thing we can do is recognize which soul-mate they are, and not keep the “reason” soul mates around for longer than we should. I believe that gives us some of our greatest sorrows in this life. It is also important not to lose the ones who are “life time” soul-mates… by taking them for granted or thinking we are not worthy of their love.

When we get hurt in love by giving it our all, we sometimes flip a switch and go to the complete opposite side. “I don’t care, I don’t need anyone, and I can do it all by myself.”

Knocking us off-balance and blocking anyone from ever getting close enough to fully love us. On the other hand, sometimes we go from, “I can do it all by myself,” to completely losing ourselves in someone else. Expecting them to save us from ourselves and fill some empty part of our soul.

It’s no one’s responsibility to complete us. We need to be whole and complete by ourselves first. Then when we love, we can love someone for who they are, not expecting them to change for us. We can start looking for someone to complement us on our journey instead of completing us. Someone who can walk with us, side by side, in the middle.

When you find that someone, enjoy being in the sweet spot of life with them. Enjoy all the love that they bring you and that you share with them. Soak them in, like you would the sun on an early spring morning, after a long winters cold. Indulge in them, like you would on a homemade dessert from your grandmother. Breath them in, like you would the scent of the most beautiful flower and when it comes time to part with them. Let them go, like the seed of a dandelion. Gently blown into the wind, with a wish for their happiness. Without resistance and full of gratitude for the time that was shared.