Do Soulmates Exist?

Do soulmates exist? I believe they do, but I don't think they necessarily exist solely for romantic purposes. They can be friends, siblings, or any other person you may happen to share that pleasantly peculiar bond with. I'll use my friend Chris as an example.

Chris and I met our freshman year of college. I'm very shy and reserved around new people, but I instantly felt as if I'd known him for years. In our spare time, we were inseparable. In fact, word on campus was that we were a couple. I was surprised by how quickly he became important to me. I've always kept people at a distance, but it was as if I'd been dual incarnated. It was as if my soul occupied two bodies at once.

Chris and I would meet everyday after classes. I'd indulge his need to watch Dragonball Z and Gundam Wing, and he'd indulge my need to eat Phish Food ice cream. We did have interests that were different, and we showed them to each other. However, it never felt like I was taking on his interests. It was more like he was exposing me to interests I'd had all along.

We also began to read each others minds. It went far beyond finishing each others sentences. We could watch a television commercial that would remind us of something completely off the subject. We'd look at each other and burst out laughing, knowing we were thinking the same thing.

Despite the fact that our dorm rooms were on opposite sides of campus, we could tell how the other one was feeling. I'll never forget the time he came to see me in a tuxedo. I'd been busy for a month, writing term papers for all five of my classes. One of my classes was a creative writing class, so I had mini writing assignments due twice a week. I was also taking a speech class, having to write and deliver a speech once a week. I was frustrated and exhausted. All of my free time went into writing and sleeping. I lost sixteen pounds that month because I didn't even have time to go to the cafeteria for real food.

I was taking a much needed nap when my phone rang. Chris was calling me from the dorm lobby. "Come watch cartoons with me," he said. After some resistance, he finally managed to coax me out of my room. We made an odd pair. He in his tuxedo, and I in my pajamas. He only stayed for an hour; he knew I needed it. Another time, I felt this overwhelming compulsion to bring Chris a thermos of hot tea. I didn't know why I needed to; I just did it. When I got to his dorm, I found out that he was sick.

Chris and I have never been romantic towards each other, but we have an incredible bond. Even now that we are out of school, living in separate states, we still know when someone needs a call. Our relationship is inexplicable. My only explanation is that we're soulmates.