Quote from brid
I think being willing to have empathy for another person, and being willing to put in the hard work it takes to understand one another and to get along is the only way to keep any relationship going, whether it's friendship or romance. The hard part is finding someone who wants to put in the same amount of work that you do, and who will have empathy and understanding for you in return. Finding that kind of a match is as close as we can come to finding a mythical "soul mate."
I totally agree with you. I think (and have seen) that love is all about a decision, yes you need the chemestry and ... all the other things, but to love someone is a decision you have to make everyday. And it's really hard to work out of love, no to earn it. That's why it has to be a mutual decision.
So, as it was said, that mutual thing... which is very hard to find and wait for (it's easier to settle) is the closest you can get to the 'soul mate' thing, but it doesn'w magically exist.