I Thought I Wouldn't Meet My Soul Mate

Souls can communicate.¹ It's obvious. When you meet someone and think, "I will like him or her..." "I want to get to know him or her..." It's so natural, so obvious.

Sometimes however, people don't always notice what is obvious. When I left for Lithuania I didn't notice or stop to think that some Lithuanian souls might have as profound an impact on my soul as did so many of my friends, teachers and relatives from Israel. I didn't notice... I didn't think.

I didn't think I would meet my soul mate.

Then, there I was in Lithuania. I was going to be there for two years. I was going to study both the Lithuanian and the Russian languages. I was going to study the culture but I didn't think I would meet my soul mate.

So one Saturday (Shabbat) as I wandered through the streets of Vilnius, I came across a synagogue that sat smugly atop a small protrusive hill. It was between, and slightly behind, a fairly modern housing unit and a business of some sort. I recognized the ark that contains the torah through the building's large central window and I began to walk around and upward around the perimeter.

Then I saw him and my soul said, "I will like this man," and when he looked up I could tell that his soul said the same. He was sketching on a pad and he faced what I knew to be a synagogue. I asked him what he found so interesting. He told me that it would soon be his job to renovate the Eastern side of the synagogue for classes and assemblies, and that he wanted to make a statement of faith. I asked him if his was the Jewish faith.

He said that it wasn't and I asked him what his faith was.

"I'm a Roman Catholic" he said "but I like the feel of your synagogue." It is more powerful, warm and joyous than a Catholic cathedral."

I laughed happily and when I laughed happily I could tell that his soul was happy. Like mirror souls...

I hadn't thought I would meet my soul mate in Lithuania.

He asked me what brought me to Lithuania.

"I am here to study the language and the culture of Lithuania and Russia," I replied still thinking, "I hadn't thought I would meet my soul mate."

"I enjoy your accent," he said and I felt his appreciation for differences, for beauty and for tones that aren't familiar.