In a world of 8.5 billion people, the chances of discovering a true soulmate seem incredibly slim. However, within that small fraction who find their other half, I count myself fortunate. My soulmate entered my life before I even reached adulthood.
Rajonna became part of my life when I was just 13, but it wasn”t until we were both 17, during our “morning walks” in high school, that I recognized her as my soulmate. Our conversations ranged from discussing our latest crushes to sharing our thoughts on the new Maisie Peters album that we felt had profoundly impacted us, as well as the anxiety surrounding our college applications and the fear of letting our families down.
Over the three years since, I have come to know her intimately. She has a strong aversion to most fishy flavors and is fluent in Bengali. Consequently, the Bengali phrase “I love you,” or “Ami tomake bhalobhasi,” is forever linked to the memory of her smile when I first learned to say it, unaware of its meaning as I repeated it to her.
Rajonna shares my passion for music and is perhaps an even bigger fan of Taylor Swift than I am—she would insist her favorite album is “Speak Now.” Her love for crocheting is so profound that she dedicated an entire year to crafting crochet ducks for each of her friends on their birthdays. Mine still occupies a spot on my bed back home in Texas, where I greet it with affection whenever I return.
In a moment of culinary mishap, she once managed to burn microwaveable mac and cheese. Despite being lactose intolerant, she would happily consume an entire wheel of cheese if the opportunity arose. When I mention my recent purchase of bourbon vanilla bean paste from Trader Joe”s, she will show me her own Trader Joe”s bags from her previous day”s shopping trip.
Our synchronicity extends to our shared musical tastes. According to Spotify Blend, we share 98% of our musical preferences, reinforcing my theory that fate has humorously intertwined our lives. It seems almost divine that we have been in such close proximity for seven years, leading one to wonder whether our friendship could either transform the world or lead to chaos. Nevertheless, distance has not diminished our bond; even separated by 1,345 miles at different colleges, we continue to experience life in parallel.
Rajonna possesses an uncanny ability to know my thoughts, possibly suggesting a mind-reading connection between us. She can predict who I am referring to when I say, “You won”t believe who I spoke to today.” She understands when to check in more frequently if I haven”t responded and recognizes my comfortable silence as a sign of our unspoken understanding.
What solidifies Rajonna as my soulmate is not merely our countless similarities or her ability to seemingly peer into my thoughts. It is the profound sense of comfort I feel with her, akin to being at home with myself. With her, I do not need to perform or hide any aspects of my personality. I can simply be, as our friendship has always embraced authenticity.
Rajonna has witnessed every phase of my life, from my awkward 13-year-old self to the quiet freshman who struggled to make friends, the senior who grew confident in her identity, and the 20-year-old I am today.
While everyone deserves a friendship like mine with Rajonna, not everyone is fortunate enough to find such a connection. Words often fail to capture the essence of having this kind of love in one”s life. Yet, I find solace in knowing that regardless of the changes around us—be it our musical preferences, hometowns, or selves—the certainty of her presence in my life remains steadfast.
Shreya Tiwari is a junior from Austin, Texas, studying Biomedical Engineering. Through her column, she shares narratives about the people, places, and emotions connected by “invisible strings,” revealing intimate bonds to her readers.
