The Pains That Come With Being a Twin.

Many of us who have brothers or sisters will know just how frustrating it can be to get along at times.    Well just imagine how much worse it would be to try and get along with a fraternal twin, and trust me I know, I’m talking from my own experience of being a twin. 

I have countless people come up to me with a dreamy look in their eyes saying “I wish I was a twin – I would love to have someone my own age to play with.”  

I have no doubt you’re imagining those famous movie twins from ‘The Parent Trap’, or ‘Finding Mary Kate and Ashley’  Their dazzling identical smiles and exotic twin powers are enough to charm the pants off anyone!

When I say ‘twins’ you probably think of identical twins with matching clothes.       

You know, the type who finish off each others sentences and know exactly what the other is thinking. Yes, there are some twins who really do act like that - I’m not denying it; I’ve met twins like that myself and have found them dizzying to look at let alone talk to.

However it is a common prejudice that people think all twins will be identical, cute, and mirror personalities of each other.  In most cases this image is very wrong!

I for one do not have this mirror image kind of relationship with my sister and at the worst of times it can be a much, much uglier picture.

Have you ever really stopped to think of what it is like to be a twin?

    Imagine You and your ‘twin’ are screaming loud enough to raise the entire neighbourhood at five in the morning because you can’t decide who is to wear the rainbow undies.   

   Imagine having your hair yanked out because you were naughty and used her favourite red marker.

   Imagine being made to take the blame for something you didn’t do just because your twin sister lied and said you did it. It will always be her word against yours.

   Imagine how your friends will forever be comparing you to your sister.       

   Imagine always being defined as “The Twins”

    Imagine always having to compete against your ‘other’.   Having a twin is like having a shadow that will never leave you alone,

 That is what having a twin is like for me.  My sister and I are two incredibly different individuals.  We look completely different, we talk differently, we act differently and have separate beliefs and values.  We have different interests - most of them at extreme opposite ends of the scale. I was always more of an intellectual who excelled academically whereas my sister enjoys physical activity.     No matter how different we were, we still had to share our room, our toys, our clothes, our school, our class, our friends, and its no wonder that we spelled double trouble!  If we had just been two classmates we wouldn’t have thought twice about befriending each other we’re just too different.

Unlike classmates though, we don’t have the choice of ‘not’ knowing each other.  We are forced to endure each others company everyday.  

We drive each other around the twist and what usually starts off as a little tiff can turn into a violent fight.

Relief, relief by high school we were to much for our parents and were split into different schools.     I revel in those hours when I can pretend I don’t have a twin.  But at the end of the day she is always there barging through my bedroom door and accusing me of ‘stealing’ something that belonged to her when actually it was given to both of us.  

We spent our entire childhood sharing things and there were times when we wanted to have our own things that we could rightfully say was 'mine' instead of 'ours'.  Somehow it never quite worked out that way.

To this very day my sister always seems to think she has a right to help herself to my underwear whenever she can’t find her own.  She always thinks she can just nip into my room and take my headphones. Its very irritating to find my sister has taken something just when I want it most!   I guess  we have grown so used to having to share things she doesn't quite know where to draw the line   I tell her once in a nice tone not to do it. I try to be nice and understanding when really all I want to do is rip her head off.  I tell her twice in a stern tone, I try to be angry and threatening, I tell her a million times “Don’t take my things, they are not yours”  yet she still doesn’t get the message!

 Its drives both of us insane when we unknowingly cross each other’s line.   It has driven me to put a lock on my bedroom door.  (she has taken to climbing through my window now)

  Who said twins had to like each other?  How on earth did people come up with the idea that twins would be the best of friends and live happily ever after?  

With your friends you can atleast send them home when you get tired of them.  I can’t just ‘send’ my sister away when I get tired of her. I have to live with it. We will always be tied together by our birthdays and genes.

 Please, tell me you don’t want a twin after all I’ve said?   If you do, you are probably a deluded nutcase!

Having a twin can drive you insane to the point where your bed time reading becomes the home security catalogues!