Recently, I've been fascinated with the idea of soulmates. In movies, they always make it seem so easy. You lose a glove, and all of a sudden the person who finds it is your one-and-only. In real life, it's not that simple. We know this- that's why dating apps like Tinder have blown up in the past decade. That being said, I like to think that people still have those moments where they see someone across the room and know immediately that they have a connection. I decided that- to renew our faith in romance- I would ask a few friends if they've ever been compelled to speak to a stranger. The results were heartwarming.

Question Number One: Have you ever felt compelled by a stranger?

Friend A: Yes, I have.

Friend B: Yeah, I knew right away that we had a connection.

Number Two: How did it happen? What did you do about it?

Friend A: It happened when I walked into the cafeteria, and I felt this magnetism to this girl who had her back faced towards me. WIthin seeing the back of her head I knew that I had to know who she was and I had to introduce myself. So I grabbed a mutual friend and I told him that I needed his help. While I was talking to him about her, I Iooked over in line and saw her staring directly at me, so I knew it was mutual. Then I asked her out on a date, and it was wonderful. I got to her apartment around 8 and left at 3 in the morning. As I was leaving, she was upset because it felt like id only gotten there five minutes ago, and that wasn't enough time between us. That was a really nice night- I bought my first bottle of wine. They don't even make that wine anymore. I think she's the only reason I like wine. She told me that she was really glad I asked her on a date because she knew that it was special and that it would be special.

Friend B: He and I were in the same creative writing class and I was drawn to him right away. We didn't talk, but at the end of the second class he approached me- all nervous- and told me that he'd given his poem a similar title to mine. I thought that he was sweet. We didn't talk much for the rest of the semester, but the following year we had another class together. I just knew that I wanted to talk to him. He had the same feeling, and at the end of the class, we just decided to get lunch together. It was amazing how natural it was.

Did it work out?

Friend A: I hope it will.

Friend B: It did! We've been dating now for about nine months.

Do you think moments like this happen more than once?

Friend A: If you would have asked me this a little less than a year ago I would have said no. I don't think that it happens frequently, but it happens when someone is really special.

Friend B: I'm not sure... I think that they do. Whether it's a person you're going to be in a relationship with or someone that's going to be your best friend, I think that we're all just compelled to certain people. I think the key is to not ignore that feeling. It's easy to get nervous and decide not to approach them- but if you feel that initial draw towards them, it's normally worth it.