This article is part of a Head-to-Head series. Read the counterargument by Tate Farinacci.
As a spiritual person, of course I believe in soulmates, but there’s more than that. I am here to argue that soulmates, indeed, exist.
For starters, I recognize that this is a bold argument. There are a lot of assumptions that must be contrived. My counterargument to that is that life is based on assumptions and, most importantly, belief.
Yes, there is empirical evidence in life such as the act of inhaling the crisp fall air or sustaining a nasty scrape after falling off a skateboard, but we describe those sensations based on human terms. How can we truly know without believing in them?
For us to use those definitions, we must believe in them. Thus, belief is the foundation for knowledge and for this argument. Humans feel these sensations. Similarly, truth is felt.
For the purpose of this Head-to-Head, my fellow editor Tate Farinacci and I searched for a working definition of a soulmate. When Tate typed, “What are soulmates?” into ChatGPT, this is the definition that was generated:
“Soulmates are brought together by fate or destiny, and their connection transcends the physical realm, reflecting a deep spiritual harmony and purpose. In a way, it is as if their souls are intertwined or have spiritual resonance.”
Even though this is a substantial encyclopedic definition, it doesn’t capture my viewpoint entirely because my beliefs extend to a spiritual level, as do soulmates. Therefore, I will get the conversation started and explain it as best as I can now.
I view romantic soulmates as a couple who are two halves of the same whole. They are functional halves independently but are only complete when together. While I believe in romantic soulmates, I also believe that soulmates do not have to be romantic. To me, a soulmate is a lifelong partner, a best friend, a part that completes you in an intangible, otherworldly way.
The love in this dynamic is unconditional because it transcends the imperfect chains of humanity. It is most often inexplicable, but in time, soulmates can be understood on all levels– physically, emotionally, spirituality— as the relationship develops and the two grow together.
As I write this piece, I am struggling to find the right words to attribute these feelings. Maybe humans cannot interpret it because it’s too complex for us to understand, or maybe it’s the opposite: it’s so simple but humans over-complicate it. What I do believe is that a feeling in the soul is so bizarre and indefinable, yet somehow so real and irrefutable. It’s the type of feeling one gets when they are at total peace with the world.
Ultimately, I believe in the power of belief. If you choose to believe in a soulmate, then you’ll probably find one. If you choose not to believe in a soulmate, then you will probably not find one. It’s like the saying, you get out what you put in.
That is not to say that truth is relative, though I can admit that’s what it sounds like based on my previous exposition. That is another discussion for another time.
Nonetheless, truth is felt as much as it is proven through metrics and science. If emotions are invisible, why shouldn’t intangibles exist also? Science proves the biology of emotions, but do we know if it’s our bodies reacting to the emotions or the emotions themselves. I guess it all depends on what one chooses to believe. I choose to believe in soulmates.
