تَوْأَم الروحِ
8.2. billion, that’s how many people roam this planet earth. How many we actually meet in our lifetime? About 80.000, that’s if we make it till the age of 73. We basically interact with 0,001% of the entire population. Those include family members, extended family, friends, colleagues, people you might meet at a coffee shop or say hi to in a plane, etc. Within those 0,001%, we’re sometimes lucky enough to meet kindred spirits. ‘Taw am erroeh’, in Arabic: sounds poetic, doesn’t it?
Two birds of a feather
Did you ever have that feeling? Were you instantly ‘connected’ with someone you just met? Maybe you realised you shared same values, ideas, interests or world views with that person. Maybe you were like: ‘hey, I feel like I know you’, but then again you just met them. It’s like resonating on the same frequency.
You don’t necessarily feel kindred to a human being. It can be animals too. I know for sure that me and my cat are kindred spirits. We’re very similar in so many ways. Sure, our little furry friends tend to take after their human after bit, yet some characteristics are there from the beginning. Undeniably there.
I for instance, have a lot of energy. I love being active, spontaneous, have fun, always ready to role the dice and see what’s next. Usually, it also translates itself into being curious about life, religion, different cultures and also having many different interest/hobbies. I find myself being relaxed and at ease with people I feel comfortable with. Both aura and intuition are a big thing for me. I’ll never flourish in a room with people, where I feel the vibe is chilly. People will see the quiet side of me when that occurs, simply because investing energy also takes energy. At the end of the day I don’t want to feel drained, I want to feel boosted.
My cat is just the same. She’s an early riser who’s, extremely talkative and has a ready-to-play-ball kinda attitude. She doesn’t shy away from a hike or exploring a new city with me. However, she’s very human shy in the sense that she doesn’t allow people to touch her if she smells something fishy. For her, usually that something fishy is testosterone.
My cat and I, we’re two birds of feather that flock together.
It’s a very intimate thing
It’s like hugging. To me that’s a very intimate thing. You literally enter someone’s private sphere. If I hug you, I allow you to enter that sphere as much as you’ll be allowing me to enter your. You might sense the rhythmic heart pounds of the other person, pick up their natural sent and ease. That ease is possible when both people allow and want the other person to be that close. If one of the two is not up for it, you’ll get an awkward, uncomfortably hug and you’ll sense the discomfort from a mile away.
Who are these kindred spirits we meet. Usually it’s those people we feel peaceful with. The ones we like instantly or with whom we have much in common. They can also teach us things about ourselves because we recognise a part of ourselves within them. They often tend to be our support system or they can pick up on how we feel easily. So possibly: childhood friends; someone in your family you’re close too; a new connection you just made and getting to know them in depth is, goes quickly. Or it can also be a cat.
the lucky ones
There is a mutual understanding and respect. Not all of us fall in love with a kindred spirit, but I guess if we do, we’re one of the lucky ones. After all, like Allah ta’ala said in Surah Ar-Rum verse 21: “وَمِنۡ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنۡ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَٰجٗا لِّتَسۡكُنُوٓاْ إِلَيۡهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيۡنَكُم مَّوَدَّةٗوَرَحۡمَةًۚ إِنَّ فِي ذَٰلِكَ لَأٓيَٰتٖ لِّقَوۡمٖ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ”
“Another of His signs is that He created spouses from among yourselves for you to live with in tranquillity: He ordained love and kindness between you. There truly are signs in this for those who reflect.”
If one day we do fall in love, or maybe already are, I believe we should cherish that person. Love them for who they are and be kind and respectful to them, like ﷲ ta’ala would have wanted it to be. After all its pre-ordained, fated. It simply is a blessing.