Love and soul mates
Photography by Danielle Ann Rose @bydanielleannrose
Being someone fortunate enough to meet their person at a young age I feel I have been given a very unique viewpoint to understand the idea of love and soul mates and what those terms mean to me
I know everyone is going to have different beliefs about these topics, this is just what feels true for me, based on my personal life experiences. As someone whose heart feels like it holds endless amounts of love, deep empathy, and a strong desire to care for others, I’m aware I may feel differently when it comes to how much love and energy we’re supposed to share with the people around us and that’s okay, please take what resonates and leave what doesn’t
To me, love and connection are the most significant gifts we’ve been given in this life and no matter what I have or have not achieved in my lifetime, I could die happy at any moment because I know I have expressed love to my full capacity and made it known to everyone I care for, just how much they mean to me
It is my belief that our souls plan and decide what life lessons we are going to learn and experience in our human lives before we enter into them, I also believe that we have soul mates who agree to play specific roles in our lives to help us learn those lessons. Although we may forget all of this once we begin living our human lives, I don’t think we ever forget the agreements made
Have you ever met someone for the first time and felt a sense of familiarity, almost as if you’ve met before? Have you ever had something so significant happen to you that you just know you wouldn’t be who you are if it hadn’t happened? I feel those are the moments that signify soul connections and intended lessons learned
You can always tell when your connection with someone is stronger than others. It’s difficult to explain the feeling in a way that does justice to its unique significance, other than to say you feel an immediate connection with them as if you’ve known them in another life, and even though you might be just meeting for the very first time you have a sense of knowing that this person will play a big role in your life moving forward
It is most common that people refer to their romantic partners as their soul mates, which is likely true, but it doesn't always have to be that way. A soulmate can be a sibling, friend, parent, mentor or even a pet, anyone who helps you through the process of life and love, assisting you in becoming the person you were always meant to be
Tyson and I have been together for 12 years now, and I know that the strength of his love and unwavering support has enabled me to live my life as authentically as I have because I haven’t felt pressured to limit my self-expression or close my heart off out of fear or hurt. Ever since we met he has stood by my side, encouraged me, adored me and never once made me feel as though I am too much or asked me to change who I am, in any way. I know in my heart we were destined to be together and that our dynamic is exactly what I needed to become who I am. It is the strength of his love and our bond that gives me the ability to remain so open and loving to the world because I know my heart has a safe home with him
In saying that I don’t expect him to be the only person who supports me through my life, nor me through his. Society has normalised putting so much pressure on romantic relationships but one person can’t meet all of our needs in every way we want them to, all of the time. Friendships can be so special and profound, which a lot of people don’t allow themselves to experience fully because they’re too focused on finding that love and connection in a romantic partner, but why not open yourself up to experiencing both? Why not allow yourself to love everyone in your life to your fullest capacity?
When I say full capacity I mean with your own boundaries, morals and health kept in tact, I don’t want you emptying your cup to make another person feel loved, I want you to fill your own cup up and let the overflow be shared. Don’t drain your energy to please others, look after yourself first and love openly second
So many people crave deep and meaningful connection and it truly is so beautiful to share our lives with others and support one another through the ups and downs of life. We get to share our hearts and minds with anyone we choose to, it doesn’t have to be a romantic partner and maybe that’s one of the life lessons we’re here to collectively learn
I believe we all have many soul mates, whether romantic or platonic, there is a strength in the connection that cannot be explained or denied. Kindred spirits who understand each other so clearly and effortlessly, who feel safe to be themselves and share their inner thoughts and ideas, always pushing each other to grow together
Yes, these could be long-term relationships as most would assume for a “soul mate” but they could also be temporary, short-term ones too, whatever the circumstances may be, these people enter our lives to help us learn something and if in the process of that lesson they leave our lives, that’s okay because they’re fulfilling the agreement made in order to push us forward in our growth, even if that happens to be an upsetting relationship breakup or friendship breakdown, these situations build our resilience and teach us so much about ourselves
There are people I no longer speak to that I feel connected to deep within my soul and always will because perhaps in past lives we were connected and in our next lives we will remain connected still, but that doesn’t mean they are meant to be in my life right now, they have helped me learn what I needed to and now we are both moving on with our lives, as we are supposed to
If I could only share one piece of advice from all that I have learned, it would be to love wholeheartedly, regardless of the fear of getting hurt or other people’s opinions, because a life spent holding back unexpressed love hurts just as much anyway and is a waste of energy because there is nothing more beautiful than to love and be loved in return
I feel it is a truly special gift to receive words of appreciation, gestures of love and shared connection, so allow yourself to give and receive it as much as possible, even if it’s sharing a compliment with a stranger. If you have the capacity to connect and share a moment, you should because you truly never know what that connection could grow into or was destined to become
As I said in the beginning, these are just my thoughts and opinions, you are entirely welcome to have your own and I will never tell you that your beliefs are wrong. Whatever feels right for you in your heart, I implore you to trust in because this is what feels true for me and what has helped me to come to terms with the uncertainty and wildness that is the human experience
With my heart wide open and my soul ready to learn, I am here, in this life for whatever lessons may approach me next and those who will guide me through them
