Chi-mate, soulmate

Tonight I am saying goodbye to my Chi-soulmate. My darling friend is bravely taking the next step in her life, moving to the people-stealing state of, you guessed it, California. I could not be more genuinely happier for her. She deserves the absolute best and her absolute best is waiting for her in the Cali. She is proof positive that love and a colored paper life, does exist.

And, as I am fighting back tears to write this, she is also proof positive that soulmates exist. One of my favorite SATC episodes was when Carrie questioned whether or not "soulmates" exist. Now, if we listen to society, we are meant to believe that soulmates do exist, there is that perfect person out there who completes you. As you get older and as you experience life, you realize that Hallmark is full of shit. Soulmates, in the traditional men/woman variety, only exist for the very lucky few, so don't hold your breath. Now my Chi-friend was a lucky one and she found a soulmate in her Cali-partner.

I am also a lucky one as I have found a soulmate in her. You see the reason I like the SATC episode so much is because it admits the possibility that you can have the traditional (I hate that word) soulmate experience with a life-partner, but you can also have that sort of soulmate connection with anyone and any relationship. Obviously, and as reiterated in the disaster that was the 2nd movie, the SATC girls are each other's soulmates. If I were to take and interpret these definitions, I would consider a soulmate to be defined as someone who "gets" you, and you get them inherently. Now this is my derived definition, for others it may be differnet.

I suppose my point is this: I consider my Chi-friend to be a soulmate because the frienship she and I have created is based on experience, respect, commonality, compassion, admiration, acceptance and love. We've only been friends for about six months, but in those six months she has changed my life. Again, tears.

I am also very lucky that I can say that I have a few friends back in the Minne that I also consider soulmates. What I have had a hard time accepting is that not all friendships, no matter the "longevity" are of (again, my definition) the "soulmate" variety. I have lost a lot of friends over the years, people who I really loved and appreciated but who ultimately decided that our friendship wasn't worth it. For a single gal, accepting this rejection is the ultimate in pain. But, what I have learned as I develop new friendships and unwillingly say goodbye to old ones, is that it is better to have a few friends who are soulmates and who get you inherently, than to have a long list of "friends" where the relationship is more obligatory than fulfilling.

I suppose in closing I will say that I am blessed for the friends that I have that I consider to be my soulmates, I am grateful for the friends that I have that are mutually enjoyable and respectful, and I am glad to have had the chance to have known the friends that I no longer have a relationship with. Truth be told, every single one of these friendships changed me, and truth be told, no matter what category these wonderful people fell into, I love them the same, and I wish them the best.

And to my soulmates, you are my life.

And to my Chi soulmate, I am on my way!