When you meet one of these people you had known in the past in a romantic or marriage relationship, you will intuitively know how to get along. However, this does not mean that both of you are perfect. If you were, you probably would most likely not be involved in a marriage relationship this time, but in a different kind of relationship. These soul mates come into our lives for different reasons at different stages. Some will last a long time, others will last a very short time, just long enough to leave us with some memories that we will carry with us through our life and beyond.

Wouldn't you rather have pleasant memories of someone than a lasting relationship that leaves you with unpleasant memories? A relationship with a soul mate does not have to involve living together "happily ever after." If that is your only expectation of a soul mate, you may have met some of them without knowing it until it was too late to recognize them as soul mates.

How does this really work, you may ask. Let us use some illustrations. Suppose you have three friends who are moving to different countries in Africa. They will live in Africa for a relatively long time and you know that you will be moving to live in Africa later. Before they leave for Africa, you made agreements with each of your friends.

With one friend, you agreed to resume an intimate romantic relationship like the one you had before, but he or she has other missions in Africa and can only devote a short time to a romantic relationship with you. By short time, I mean a month to three months, but the pleasant memories will last you a lifetime.

With the second friend, you agreed for him or her to help you set up a type of business. This agreement is based on his or her past experience in that line of business, how successful your past businesses together were, how well you worked together, and how much you trust and understand each other from the past.

With the third friend, you both desire to live together, as in marriage, when you get to Africa. Marriage relationship with this person would be for your mutual benefit. You would lift up each other spiritually. It is one of the most important accomplishments for both of you in this lifetime.

You have agreed to meet these three individuals (soul mates) for different reasons when you arrive in Africa, and they will come into your life at different stages and at the appropriate times through the so-called coincidences, luck, and circumstances. However, the timing will have to be determined by some other source.

Upon arrival in Africa, you do not have vivid recall of these afterlife commitments, nor do your friends. In fact, you don't remember any, and you don't need to remember those commitments for them to be fulfilled. Cosmic forces do not forget and will work to bring about the fulfillment of those commitments if you let them. Remember, Africa is so small and so is our entire world in comparison to the cosmic forces at work. Let Africa represent our entire world. (For more detailed examination of coincidences and luck, refer to my book, "Seeds of Luck: the ABCs of Creating Your Heart's Desires").

In Africa, your friends and you are born in different countries, into different races, speak different languages, and have different cultures. To some people, these differences can present difficulties that could prevent them from experiencing their desires. To others, these differences will present them with tremendous opportunity that will be beneficial to both of them in this lifetime and in the future.

These three scenarios are used in the finished book to illustrate possible outcomes and the experiences one can have with his soul mates.