My Thoughts on Twins

Twins are one of the most interesting phenomenons on our planet. The idea that there could be two people so closely linked, both by just being humans in the same family, and then the further bond between them resulting from their coinciding births, is mind-blowing. Of course I am rather biased on this topic. I'm a twin myself, and I think I am rather well versed from my own experiences. Recently I realized what a rarity it is, and although it's normal for me, most others can't really understand what it is like to live with another human you have such a close bond with from birth. So I consider it my duty to inform everyone about the joys and intricacies of being a twin.

The Science Behind It

Before we can understand what it is like to have a twin, we must first comprehend how it occurs. If twins are conceived, there are two possibilities. They could be identical - same gender, same genetic code, almost identical in appearance - which occurs when one egg, fertilized by one sperm, splits into two. Each of these new zygotes develops into a child, identical to the other. Twins also occur fraternally, with two separate eggs each fertilized by one sperm, developing into two different children of either male or female gender. According to verywellfamily.com, twins occur approximately 0.45% of the time, or 1 in 250 births. While you have likely met twins, whether in school or throughout life, there's a 99.55% chance that you aren't a twin. This shows just how unique it is to be a twin, something I haven't realized until recently.

The Pseudo-Science

Naturally, being a twin has led both my sister and I to thoroughly investigate any possible "mental link," a sort of "ESP," of which stories have been exchanged for ages. While I agree that twins share a very special bond, and they often know each other very well, I have found no solid research that suggests that there is any sort of mind-link between twins. Many stories and tales show ESP, but no true studies have revealed this, and until they do, I remain convinced that this link is nonexistent.

My Experience

Since birth, my sister, Grace, and I have had a unique, special relationship. Grace is a freshman in high school like me, and although we are twins, we couldn't be more different. For starters, we're fraternal. I have tan skin, dark brown hair and eyes, and all of the middle eastern gene from my mom. My sister has blonde hair, blue eyes, extremely fair skin, and way better eyesight than me. We are both rather gregarious, but my sister's sense of pride and loyalty is unmatched. She is more stubborn than anyone I know, and she doesn't give up on something easily. She is a genuinely interesting person, and although I have my own quirks, I can't match her in many qualities. However, despite our many differences, we get along better than most. Although we do quarrel rather often, similarly to other brother-sister combinations, we are also able to hang out with each other without wanting to get rid of the other. I don't hang out with her or her friends, but I can talk to them while she is there and she isn't embarrassed. While this seems like such a small thing, going through middle and high school has taught me that many other boys and girls the same age as me didn't get so lucky with their siblings. They fight a lot, but what strikes me the most about their relationship with their siblings is that they live their own, completely separate lives. I'm not saying that my sister and I are together all the time, but we interact with each other outside of being at home. I was raised thinking this was how everyone is with their siblings, but sadly that isn't the case. Since I learned this, I realize how lucky I am to be a twin, and although I get angry with her, and she gets angry with me, and we have our own little problems, we are both much luckier than many others.

So, in short, being a twin is a special thing. It's impossible to understand unless you've lived it, and I'm lucky enough to be living that life right now. I hope this changes your view of twins, or that you learned something about what it's like to be a twin.