As women and hopeless romantics, we are brought up to believe that a soulmate is someone who comes in and sweeps you off your feet with the intentions of marrying and spending forever with you, just like in the movies. In many cases, this is true and can very well happen, but some people do not find a soulmate in someone who they intend on marrying or having a relationship with. Some people find a soulmate in their best friend.

A soulmate is someone who understands you with just a look. You share the same soul, heart and mind. It is someone who knows your heart and your intentions sometimes better than you know your own. This person will be there for you no matter what and is truly empathetic towards your feelings.

A soulmate is someone who will never leave you. For the longest time, I always thought that you find your soulmate in your significant other, but recently I am beginning to discover that sometimes your soulmate can be your best friend.

I have known my best friend since high school, and we have always been there for each other through breakups, milestone and even death. Since coming out of a very long-term relationship, I have realized the importance of strong friendships because at the end of the day, those are the people that will always be there for you. People, acquaintances or lovers came come and go in your life, but a best friend is someone you can always count on.

While in my long-term relationship, I used to think he was my soulmate; the one that I was going to spend the rest of my life with. He knew everything about me. As I have gotten older, however, I have come to realize that relationships, love and even friendships may not last forever.

Some people are only meant to be a part of your life for a period of time. Looking back, my best friend has always been there when no one else was. She was the one that let me cry for no reason without question. She was the one that would truly listen to my problems and reassure me that everything was going to work out. She was the one who supported my decisions even if they were hard for her. Lastly, she is the one that I can count on to never let me down.

I have and will continually be let down by a lot of people in my life, but she has never been one of them.

For those who have found their significant other to be their soulmate and best friend, I encourage you to hold on to that special and rare bond, because not everyone is as lucky.

Regardless of who we may end up with in the future or where life may take us, my best friend will always be my soulmate.