I believe in soulmates, yes, but I believe you also have to work

Host: The café was quiet, the soft murmur of conversation blending with the steady rhythm of rain outside. The cozy warmth inside contrasted with the chill of the evening, as Jack and Jeeny sat across from each other, their drinks cooling between them. There was a calm energy between them, as if the conversation was moving toward something deeper.

Jeeny, her fingers lightly tracing the rim of her cup, broke the silence, her voice steady and reflective.

Jeeny: “I came across something from Cheryl Cole today. She said, ‘I believe in soulmates, yes, but I believe you also have to work at love. I happen to believe your soulmate doesn’t have to be your partner – your soulmate could be your best friend, your sibling, it doesn’t have to be the person you marry.’ What do you think about that?”

Jack: He paused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. “That’s an interesting perspective, isn’t it? The idea that your soulmate doesn’t have to be your romantic partner. We’re so conditioned to think of soulmates as someone we marry, but Cheryl Cole is saying love isn’t just about finding that one person. It’s about the connections you share, even with those who aren’t your spouse.”

Host: The rain outside had softened, its steady beat almost like a backdrop to the deeper conversation unfolding inside. Jeeny’s voice, steady and calm, continued.

Jeeny: “Yes, exactly. I think Cheryl is pointing out that soulmates are about connection, not just romance. We often think of love in terms of the person we’re supposed to marry, but it’s also about the people who shape our lives in a way that feels just as deep. A soulmate could be a best friend, a sibling, or someone you meet along the way who understands you in a way no one else does.”

Jack: “I’ve always thought of a soulmate as someone you’re meant to be with, like a romantic partner, someone who completes you. But the more I think about it, I see her point. Maybe soulmates aren’t just partners in the traditional sense—they’re the people who truly understand you, who challenge you, who make you feel seen. It doesn’t have to be the person you marry.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. We often put so much pressure on romantic relationships to be everything—our best friend, our partner, our soulmate. But maybe a soulmate is someone who enriches your life, whether they’re your partner or not. It’s not about finding the one person to fulfill everything for you—it’s about finding the people who help you grow, who bring out the best in you.”

Host: The café had grown quieter, as if the gentle rhythm of the rain outside had brought a sense of calm to their conversation. Jack and Jeeny sat together, both recognizing the truth in Cheryl Cole’s words: that love wasn’t just confined to romantic relationships, and that the people who shaped our lives could be soulmates in their own unique way.

Jack: “So, it’s about connection. About working on love and nurturing those bonds, whether it’s with a romantic partner or not. Soulmates don’t have to be just the one person you marry—they can be the people who truly understand you and make you a better version of yourself.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. And the work of love comes in all kinds of relationships. Whether you’re married, whether it’s with a sibling or a friend—you have to nurture those connections, put effort into them. That’s what makes them meaningful. It’s not about the title of ‘soulmate’—it’s about the depth and authenticity of the bond.”

Host: The café, once filled with the soft sounds of the outside world, now felt still and full of quiet understanding. The conversation had unfolded into a realization that love, in all its forms, requires effort, and that soulmates were not just the people we marry, but the ones who shape and influence our lives in ways that were deep, lasting, and transformative.