Jerry Maguire had the famous line, “You complete me.”
It turns out this notion of a “soulmate” originated from ancient Greek mythology. Plato surmised that there used to be a “super race” of androgynous humans that were comprised of both male and female in one person. These humans originally had four arms, four legs, and two heads. They were extremely smart and physically strong. Fearing their growing power, Zeus split them into two separate parts with his lightening bolt.
Separated from one another, each half could never be perfect without the other causing them to search desperately for their other half. Hence the term, soulmate.
I had never heard this story before, but it lead me to this quote from psychologist Eugene Kennedy, who said, “There would be no need for love if perfection were possible. Love arises from our imperfection, from our being different and always in need of the forgiveness, encouragement, and that missing half of ourselves that we are searching for, as the Greek myth tells us, in order to complete ourselves.”
I think this is an amazing summary of what it means to love and be loved. No one is perfect, but there is something special about finding someone that can embrace your imperfections. Someone that forgives, encourages, and allows us to be who we are without judgement.
This Valentine’s Day, whether you are single, in a relationship, or have been married for decades, make sure that you both forgive and encourage. Be certain that you recognize and celebrate differences because no one is perfect. However, if and when you find that right person, together you can get a little closer to being complete.
