Finding an instant connection with someone is incredibly rare. And it almost always happens randomly. But once you find your kindred spirit, it’s important to keep him or her in your life! Having someone who is passionate about what you’re passionate about, who always understands what you’re thinking and feeling, is truly a gift.
If you have many differences of opinion with your best friend, it doesn’t mean you’re not compatible. In fact, when it comes to romantic relationships, it’s often true that opposites attract. But when it comes to kindred spirits, the glue that holds friendship together is the quality of two people being the same.
Who has a kindred spirit, Marni or Jeff? Find out in today’s English lesson about friendship.
Dialogue
Jeff: So what’s up, Marni? It’s been awhile.
Marni: It has been. You know what, Jeff? I just met this great woman, and we are so like-minded. It’s like we’re kindred spirits!
Jeff: Kindred spirits, huh?
Marni: Yeah. We think alike. We act alike. I just feel like everything that she says… it’s like we finish each other’s sentences. We’re just so much alike.
Jeff: Doesn’t that get tiresome after awhile? I feel like the people I’m best friends with, we kind of hit it off because we’re opposite in a lot of ways.
Marni: Really?
Jeff: Yeah.
Marni: I don’t know. It was funny. We just ran into each other randomly, and we had this instant connection, and we’ve just really been spending so much time together. She’s just so great!
Jeff: Well, I’d watch out for that. You might drive each other nuts after awhile. I’ve been there. Let me tell you. It’s all about the yin and the yang. That’s what I’m saying. A balance.
Marni: I think it’s nice to find someone that you’re compatible with, right?
Jeff: It’s true.
Marni: You share the same feelings about things, and you’re passionate about the same things. I don’t know. I think you need a kindred spirit, Jeff, and I think you’ll change your mind.
Discussion
Jeff and Marni haven’t seen each other in awhile, and it’s soon clear why. Marni has a new best friend! In fact, Marni’s friend is so like-minded that Marni says she is a kindred spirit.
Jeff thinks that it’s better to be best friends with people who are different than he is. He agrees with Marni that it’s important to be compatible with your friends, but he thinks that it’s boring if two people are exactly the same. For him, friendships should have a balance of personalities and opinions.
Even though Marni listens to Jeff, she’s still excited about her kindred spirit. She tells Jeff that once he meets a kindred spirit, he’ll understand her point of view.
Do you have a kindred spirit? How did you meet him or her?
Grammar Point
Present Perfect Progressive
Marni tells Jeff that she and her new friend have been spending so much time together recently. She uses the present perfect progressive tense.
We form the present perfect progressive (sometimes called the “present perfect continuous”) with have/has been + main verb + ing. We use this tense to talk about an on-going action that began in the past, is still in progress, and may continue into the future.
For example, you might say, “I have been thinking about getting a new car for weeks.” You first thought of getting a new car weeks ago, you’re currently thinking of getting one, and unless you buy one or decide not to buy one right now, you’ll continue thinking about it. In Marni’s case, she and her friend started hanging out in the past, they’re still spending time together, and they will probably continue to meet regularly.
Use the present perfect progressive tense to talk about something you have been doing for a long time.
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