Soul mate. From whence did these words come? Actually it was about 1,000 years ago when courtly love was introduced into the western world. Before that it was probably arranged marriages and you grew into love or great like with your mate. But courtly love was a different beast altogether. The symbolism was the pairing of the feminine and the masculine in the mind creating a balanced union, a spiritual connection, peace with your interior and exterior world. I know I know, I’ve been reading Jungian psychology but it’s been calling out to me for the past 30 years and I think it has merit. The idea being that it was carried out on a mental level, never to be carried on a physical level. When the projection of romance fades (and it always does), if you are still in love with the flesh and blood woman in front of you than my hats off to you. I have been fascinated by long term relationships my whole life. My parents being the first one I witnessed and what I witness