This diary entry by Maria is another reason why I feel the book Eleven Minutes chose me:

(This is after she meets a man that she has an immediate spark with, both intellectually and physically...)

I've been thinking about it a lot, and I realize that I didn't go into that cafe by chance; really important meetings are planned by the souls long before the bodies see each other.

Generally speaking, these meetings occur when we reach a limit, when we need to die and be reborn emotionally. These meetings are waiting for us, but more often than not, we avoid them happening. If we are desperate, though, if we have nothing to lose, or if we are full of enthusiasm for life, then the unknown reveals itself, and our universe changes direction.

(If you don't get why I like this passage so much, go read about how I met Martijn... )