The One

I met a woman today--one. I met one. She told me about the One she had met; or, at least thought she had met.

The one I met thought she had met the One--the only one, the one for eternity, the one that would be hers forever without a change, the one that would make her complete and let her begin living for the first time.

"Wow, congratulations. That is amazing."

"Thank you. It is all a bit much, but I am overwhelmed with happiness, joy--so many things I guess."

"How did you know he was the One? I mean how can one know they know the One? How does one identify him?"

"I don't know. There is no science to it--it isn't a matter of rationality, or of logic. Nope. It's a feeling you get deep inside--somewhere you didn't know you had--somewhere that hasn't ever been touched before. I guess you could call it that virginal soul deep down--the one deep inside."

"That is ironic to me."

"Why?" she said in disapproval.

"So, you mean to tell me, that to know that the one you have met is the One--he has to penetrate you first? It just seems counter-intuitive, that's all I am saying."

She didn't like this. She didn't like my talk of penetration and irony. So, she left. She didn't even finish her drink.

What is all this about the One? And, why is the One so deeply, deeply, penetratingly connected to love?

The whole time I was talking to that woman I didn't know if we were talking religion or romance; conversion or coitus; tongues or tongue.

Where did this come from--this myth of the One? Where does the desire for Him or Her or It come from? And, which one do I want? Which one of the Ones do I want--religion or romance? Do I want to be converted to the One of eternity, or captured by the One of romance?

Maybe, I don't want either. Maybe, it is ironically the opposite. I want to be penetrated--entered--filled--and thus, hopefully, in the end, unified with the One--with the Spiritual Groom. Maybe all I ever wanted was to be filled--in that virginal--vaginal place ones from Augustine to Eckhart to womanizers such as Kundera and Klima--have called the soul. Maybe all I want is to be filled forever--consummated by the consummate One--the One that will never leave me, will never change, will never break a promise, and never ever stop loving me.

Maybe I want to be converted to the One that stands in front of me--takes my breath away--and give myself--as best as I know possible to that One. Maybe I want to surrender me in order to gain a we that didn't exist beforehand. Maybe I want to convert--take vows--and never look back.

And, maybe, just maybe--these dual myths of the One are and have always been blurred into indistinction. Maybe, just maybe, they are the same thing.

I met one today--one that wanted the One. She was so excited. She was so happy.