Complementary

I had the great honor of taking part in a wedding this past weekend.  Every facet of the event was absolutely beautiful.  I think this was so not only because of their impeccable taste (despite their obsession with lavender honey as a flavor), but because they are a beautiful couple.  At the wedding mass, the priest highlighted a common theme in their relationship as a sign of their matrimonial harmony: they complement each other.  They cover down on each other's desires, shortcomings, needs, wants, peccadilloes, etc.

As I reflected on their special day over this week, a number of thoughts occurred to me.  Fortunately for all of you, I won't be sharing all of them here.  One thought that has been turning over in my head is this idea of finding someone complementary.  It is often said that opposites attract, but what if it's more like the cogs clicking in a wheel, the way a key slides into the groove of a lock, the pieces of a puzzle fit together?  I've never been one for kismet, destiny, fate, or whatever.  I don't think I believe in soulmates or anything of that nature, but I was challenged to reconsider that this weekend.  Do we meet people in our lives for whom our souls long for?  Is that possible?  If so, I would like to think that's because something is missing.

I don't mean to say that you're an incomplete person if you don't meet someone or fall in love.  That would be absurd.  If you're looking for someone to "complete" you then I think you probably need to finish completing yourself.  That being said, perhaps we look for someone who complements us because we cannot cover down on every matter of perception, being, and understanding in this universe.  We need an alternative heart, an alternative perspective on both our own lives and on the nature of existence.  We need a counter-testimony to how we witness the bend of life's river.

You can share values, goals, interests, passion, and/or physical chemistry, but perhaps our soul longs for a complement because we long to experience our lives through the perspective of another.  Not only that, but we long to do it from an intimate perspective, one we understand even if we cannot understand ourselves.  What better to seal this complement than through a bond of trust and love?  As my friends go forth into this world hands clasping tightly to one another, I hope that they continue to not only be one, but to be two in one.  I hope that they share a counter-testimony to one another, an alternative perspective to the wonders of this life.  And I hope that I find the same, and you all as well who are also looking and waiting keenly for their complement...