Most people experience what it is like to grow up with siblings in their lives, but there are few that understand the sibling relationship when it comes to being twins. My brother and I are fraternal twins, born only two minutes apart over twenty years ago. And let me tell you, I have been asked so many questions over the years, some of which include; Are you identical? Can you read each other's minds? Is it fun being a twin? Do you get along? and of course the first question that was always the bane of my childhood; Are you guys twins?
Let me begin by saying that when asked these questions, my brother and I were usually together. This is important to know especially for the question that still boggles me; Are you identical? In order for twins to be identical they have to be the same gender, and genetically be identical through blood type, and other genetic makeup. So no, my twin brother and I are not identical.
Twin telepathy isn't a thing either, although it sounds kind of awesome in theory, I don't want anyone to be able to read my thoughts, and I don't really know anyone else that would disagree. So instead of communicating with our minds, a shared eye roll would always suffice when we were asked this question growing up.
It is rather fun being a twin, although I have never known differently, other than my older sister who is someone I have equally as much fun with. So I would sum it up to being a sibling is fun, but there are definitely aspects that are different in a bond between twins. In my case we grew up at the same time, learned how to ride bikes together, started school together and knew all the same people growing up. Funny enough we worked, volunteered, carpooled, and attend college together as well, although those were not due to being a twin. In a way it is like growing up with a built in best friend, but I feel like that goes for any siblings.
There is a part of you that does try to separate yourself from your twin though too. Growing up we did many things separately, for instance I was involved in dance, participated in Girl Scouts, and took piano lessons, while my brother participated in other activities. There was always a balance, and we were never in the same classes until high school, so even though we knew the same people, there was a separation of his class versus my class, and vice versa.
Like any siblings, my brother and I will annoy each other from time to time, but I would say that we get along more than we don't. Like any human relationship, we all have our differences, my brother is extremely social, where as I am more reserved, but my parents always taught my brother, sister and I that we are each other's best friends and so that takes precedence over everything else. It is the bond that we share which keeps us from staying annoyed with each other for too long.
As far as the question; Are you guys twins? I would steer clear of it, as someone who was asked this nearly once a week for the first five years of my life, by both strangers and my mother (who liked to see our reactions), it is our least favorite question. I know it is harder to tell since we are fraternal, but if you are asked the same question more than five times, wouldn't you feel frustrated?
This is the truth I will leave you with, I am one of the few who was lucky enough to be blessed with a brother and a sister in my life. One of them just happens to have been born on the same day as me. I would like to have more to say on whether it is strange to be a twin, but I could ask the same of anyone who isn't, because being a twin is all I have ever known.
