I’ve always been fascinated by twins. Probably because my sisters, Kristin and Priscilla, are fraternal twins.
They’re only a year and a half older than me, so I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on too much as a non-twin. We went to the same schools, shared the same classes and my mom dressed the three of us in matching dresses for every holiday imaginable. Still, I must admit, I’ve secretly wanted to be a twin for as long as I can remember, to experience that bond that only twins share.
When Kristin and Priscilla were little, they communicated in a special language, one that only the two of them could understand. Even today, they still have that unusual connection. They can deeply feel what the other is feeling. If Kristin is sad, Priscilla doesn’t just empathize or feel sorry for her; she actually feels that pain.
“There’s just a different level of understanding,” Priscilla told me. “If someone hurts her, they are hurting me too.”
I’ve always wondered where that “different level of understanding” comes from. And then, the other day, I got some answers. On Sunday, Kristin sent me an article about a mother who gave birth to rare identical twins. The girls, Jenna and Jillian, make up a small percentage of twins who share an amniotic sac and placenta. When doctors held them up to their parents, the girls–who were born less than a minute apart–held hands.
“They’re already best friends,” their mother, Sarah Thistlethwaite, said. “I can’t believe they were holding hands. That’s amazing.”
Best friends at birth. Wow. No wonder my sisters share a special bond. Like Jenna and Jillian, their connection stems from sharing one of the greatest wonders of all. The miracle of birth. To go through that–or any miracle for that matter–side by side with someone is no small feat. It’s a spiritual experience that ties you to that person forever. Linked for life.
“I know that no matter what she’s my ‘other half,’ ” Priscilla says.
“I have a buddy for everything in life,” Kristin adds.
Have you ever experienced a miracle that left you forever connected with another person? Share your story below.
