Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Got Soul?

I have always been intrigued by the notion of souls having an "age".

You know the deal--someone will point to a child and murmur, "He's an old soul." Without missing a beat, others in the room will cluck in agreement. (Are they really agreeing or just going along with the flow to sound more intellectual or knowledgeable?)

I don't know if I totally agree with the concept, and I'm not entirely comfortable with reincarnation (though it doesn't scare me), but I can say that when I look into the eyes of some individuals, I feel as though they've been on earth for a very long time.

Once, I worked with a gentleman who was, I believe, an ancient soul. Every time I talked with him, I sensed that I had known him a long time ago. And we had definitely never crossed paths in "this life." It wasn't a romantic type of connection; just a strange, indescribable relationship that felt centuries old. It almost made me uncomfortable to be around him, as if we weren't talking about something we were supposed to discuss. This was years ago, and I still find myself ruminating about it today.

I know it sounds crazy--believe me. But there's just this itsy, bitsy, teeny, weeny, yellow-polka-dot-bikini part of me that wants to believe it's true. (It would kind of be the ultimate in recycling; rather than dumping souls, we'd just reuse them time and again.)

Often, I feel like I don't quite belong in the generation to which I was born... could my soul be longing for a past era? Or am I simply using the idea to deal with my own fears of what lies beyond this world?

Tell me... have you ever contemplated this notion of an "old" soul (or a "new" soul)?

And now, I need more diet soda...

7 comments:

SzélsőFa said...

This experience with that special gentleman really is freaking and exhilarating at the same time.
There are relationships like this and there are also relationships where they not only meet and talk every now and then, but do work on something together, be it a marriage, a professional job project, or something similar.

For me reincarnation is just as much as the lightning when it storms or the ripening of fruits when it is warm and sunny in the summer.

I would like to thank again for listing my writing blog, and aksing you again as to which pseudonym would you like to go by in mine blog...?

The Quoibler said...

Szelsofa:

I'd like either "Lily of the Valley" or "Tumbleweed", please!

x said...

For many cultures, reincarnation is as normal and accepted as the fact that the sun shines. In Buddhism, the Dalai Lama and constantly dying and being reborn in a new infant's body. The soul is no more mysterious than the Internet. Why shouldn't it exist independent of the body and be recycled? I personally don't think or believe in reincarnation. But it's really no scarier than never existing again at all.

SzélsőFa said...

I chose Lily of the valley. I posted it on my main blog, 'Gondolatok az erdőben'.

x said...

Oh, and I love the swimming little guppy.

Anonymous said...

People have described me as an old soul. I also feel a special attachment to the turn of the century.

However, I don't believe either is driven by reality. What resonates with people is a deep and complex issue, but not a "spiritual" one in my estimation. Old souls are probably just quicker studies than the people named them as such. They seems to just know things, when in fact, they just figured it out earlier.

Jennifer said...

This is an interesting question. One I may be too tired for right now. I think I do believe in old souls. I like the thought; although I don't feel like an old soul myself I have met people I do think that way about. I believe in some sort of reincarnation when I'm more awake. I like the new pool picture and thanks for the link love (I can't remember if I said so yet; but thanks!)