"You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." -- C.S. Lewis
The age-old question: Do you believe in soulmates?
I've always particularly loved the word "soul." It's full of power, music, beauty, and character. It's unique. When I'm asked the question, I say "Absolutely, but I can't believe there's only one soulmate for each person." This seems to bother most people. They wonder how I could believe that when a mate is supposed to complete the other mate's soul. I've found that the best way to describe my reasoning is by comparing us to trees.
The literal definition of a tree is "a perennial plant, typically having a single stem or trunk growing to a considerable height and bearing lateral branches at some distance from the ground." So in other words, this is a living thing that lives for at least two years, has a single torso with limbs that grow out of it, and as it ages it continues to gain height. We aren't much different than nature when it comes to the concept of structure. Like a tree, our vital organs and everything that makes us fragile, is protected by a temporary shell. Every tree has a different bark, but they all grow through the same process and resemble each other. Though our outsides are different and we identify each other by this, our growth rings are what makes us relatable. It's where our soul lives. We don't own our souls, we grow them. We own our outer shell.
As we age, we're constantly growing more rings. Trees grow from the inside out. Just like our bodies, a tree designs a new outward appearance each year based on their soul's growth. The outer rings near the bark are the youngest -- these are our trendy likes and hobbies at the moment. The rings in the center of the tree, the strongest area, and foundation -- these are our faiths and morals. What grounds and roots us.
Most people know that the number of growth rings on a tree symbolize the years it has been alive, however, there's a catch. The climate of which it lives in determines how rapidly it produces rings. We as humans are faced with many climates we call tests. Some of us have more than others. Some of us have had so many we should look like Redwoods. Some of us are placed in climates where we're slow to grow and look like White Cedars.
Not everyone finds it easy to distinguish between a body and a soul, but everyone knows of soulmates. So how do should mates take part in this tree life? How could we find our tree twin? Well, we can't. There's no such thing as a set of tree rings that match perfectly with one another, even if the trees go through the same climate obstacles-- it's impossible to be exact. But I believe when enough of these consequential sequences match closely, you've found the mate to your soul -- a soul that can understand and love yours because its oldest rings beautifully mimic yours.
