ally smith

If anything, I believe in soulmates. The notion that someone can come into your life as a fated companion, lasting a brief moment or a lifetime, is something I choose to believe in. Some may say soulmates only exist in fairytales. How could I believe in such an elementary truth? I will tell you that I know soulmates exist based on some examples of fated pairs: binary star systems, Forrest Gump and Jenny, and me and my cat, Prismo.

Like a shooting star, traveling past and then taking me into its orbit, Prismo came into my life by some magical happenstance. Living alone in a new apartment had taken its toll, and I grieved to my Mother on the phone about needing a companion of sorts, maybe a cat? … My cry for companionship was answered shortly after, in the form of a GroupMe message from my apartment group chat.

Someone in my building had found a kitten in a parking lot the day before and couldn’t take him in themselves. I responded to their inquiry about the tiny black cat needing a home, without knowing I had found one of my life’s soulmates. I quickly learned that Prismo and I are alike in many ways. We both require time alone, love to bask in the sunlight, and are always dressed in black, head to toe. We are cautious of newcomers at first and then open our hearts to whomever we deem worthy. We are both familiar with the art of napping and have a soft spot for good food.

After a lifetime of searching, I had finally found someone to share my life with. Someone that I could understand, and who understood me. Soulmates exist because I found mine in the form of a cat named Prismo.