What is the difference between being alone and lonely?

Who can answer this question for me? What is the difference between being alone and being lonely when you are married? I have been pondering this question for some time now and I have no clue. Well..not quite true I do know the difference but I guess I want I really want to know is what each person's definition of this question means to them. To me, being alone is you don't have anyone in your life that you can count on, talk to, or even depend on. So is being lonely just the opposite? What do you do when you are feeling lonely? Who do you turn to? Is it your best friend? Your family? Your co-worker? Your spouse? or someone you happen to find that fills that missing void in your life and it develops into something more than you can handle? For some of us it's the later of all situations. Is it sad that you turn to someone else? I don't know...

What is soul mate?

Love at first site. Is he my soul mate? I believe deep in my heart I have found my soul mate and true love. This hasn't been easy; in fact it has come with some tough times and most recently some heartache. You know you have found your soul mate when even after you have just felt as though your whole world has come crashing down and you still love him and want to be with him.  That is where I am right now.

I cannot picture my life without my love even though I am angry and hurt more than words can describe. I love him with all my heart and soul. Even the strongest of all marriages, or even the strongest willed individual will make choices in their life that they regret. So what does soul mate mean to me? Being able to forgive and love unconditionally even when you want to hurt him but at the same time don't want to be without him.