Soulmate

Soulmate
ˈsəʊlmeɪt/
noun
1. a person ideally suited to another as a close friend or romantic partner.

"People think a soulmate is your perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soulmate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life." - Elizabeth Gilbert, "Eat, Pray, Love"

There has only ever been one person who comes to my mind when I think of the word "soulmate" and that is my brother Gabriel. When I tell people this, sometimes they will look at me with a confused expression. Often people will laugh and say something along the lines of, "so you're going to marry your brother? Weird." It never bothers me because I don't perceive the role of a soulmate the same way most people do. Read the aforementioned quote and remove the idea that only a spousal equivalent can assume the title of a soulmate and that is how I feel about my brother.

Gabriel and I are three weeks shy of two years apart and we have always shared a remarkable bond. Apparently I ignored him until he was about two years old, but I do not remember that as I do not have a very clear memory of my younger years. One of my earliest memories, and one of the clearest examples of Gabriel's unfaltering loyalty to those he loves is a little story that goes like this:

I was four or five years old, playing with some other kids at the school park when someone picked fun at me and hurt my feelings. Gabriel walked right up to him and put him in his place, saying, "don't make fun of my sister or I will beat you up!". Despite being several years younger, he didn't care. Someone hurt my feelings and he wasn't going to stand for it.

When I was young I had a lot of anxiety. I also had difficulty sleeping because of this. My mom would try different techniques to help me fall asleep; warm milk, story-telling, meditation, etc. Some of them would work, some wouldn't, but one that always did was if Gabriel slept beside me. I began this technique where I would count backward from twenty until I fell asleep, and of course, he would count with me. Anything I have ever needed, Gabriel is willing to do for me, or at least help me any way he can. There is no one who loves me more than he does.

These examples are a tiny splattering of the lengths Gabriel has gone to show his dedication, but these few examples aren't the reason why I know he is my soulmate. Gabriel's vibrancy in life and his allegiance to the people around him are qualities that I fully admire and strive to bring out in myself. He always puts other people's feelings ahead of his own and he will give anybody a chance without judgment. His integrity and his authenticity astound me and he is the example of those qualities that I try to match up to. There is nobody in this world who is a better person than he is, and I say that with the purest conviction. The bond Gabriel and I have is unconditional in the most pellucid sense of the word. I don't have a stronger, more fulfilling relationship with anyone than I have with Gabriel. He is the one person I know I can be completely vulnerable with, the one person who will always be on my side, even if I am wrong, just because he believes in me so wholeheartedly. I am truly a better person because of him, because he brings out the pieces of me that I can't pull out by myself. That kind of love is something most people never find in their life and I will forever be thankful that I have found it in someone as exceptional as my little brother, my best friend.

I love you, Gabriel Gaia Hamilton-Twiss!