It hasn't happened, and I don't think it will...in this life. I can't imagine it happening anymore at this point. There were a couple of times I thought that it had happened, but that's what romance is like...it radically changes your perceptions of reality for awhile. The other person seems to be perfect (or nearly so). Even their imperfections seem to have a rare charm which adds spice to the relationship. The whole World seems suddenly wonderful. You gain confidence in both yourself and in life. You feel unstoppable, omnipotent, filled with energy and resolve.

That's the "falling in love" syndrome which happens to most of us at one time or another. A book I read suggested that it's a trick of Nature enabling us to make the initial committments necessary in order to embark on Life's most enormous job...raising a family. Without this trick society might have great trouble functioning.

"Falling in love" does not equal love, however, because falling in love is effortless. It just happens. Love is not effortless in the least...it requires continued hard work even when you don't feel like it at all.

Do people have soulmates? I don't know. I get the impression that some people do, but that others don't (at least in a particular life).

For those of you that do, well, I wish you well. "the holy kiss that's s'posed to last eternity" has not proved to be such in my case, though it does indeed feel holy while it's happening.

(quote is from Dylan's song "Love is just a Four Letter Word".)

I do think that falling in love with Life itself would be a greater thing to do than falling in love with one other human being, but I'm not saying it's easy...

- LH