Explorations from a Writing Class

What's a soulmate?

Lily tugged on her father's sleeve, her big brown eyes filled with curiosity. "Daddy, what's a soulmate?"

Her father smiled, his eyes softening as he looked at his daughter. "Well, Lily," he began, "a soulmate is like a best friend, but more. It's the one person in the world who knows you better than anyone else. Someone who makes you a better person, not by changing you, but by inspiring you to be your best self."

He paused, his gaze drifting to the framed photo on his desk of a woman with a warm smile and kind eyes. "A soulmate is someone who you carry with you forever, even when they're not physically there. They're the one person who believed in you before anyone else did, and who will always love you, no matter what."

Lily nodded, her eyes thoughtful. "Like Mommy?"

Her father's smile faded slightly. "Yes, Lily, like Mommy. She was my soulmate."

Lily reached out and took her father's hand. "I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Lily," he said, squeezing her hand gently. "And I love your mommy very much."

Lily snuggled up to her father, feeling safe and loved. She knew that her father would always be there for her, just like her mommy.