Staying up all night giggling and talking in the dark when we were younger. Sharing a room, and never going to sleep because we were too busy talking with our built-in best friend. Having our own phrases and words that can’t be explained to anyone else. Newer traditions like staying up together until 12 am the night before our birthday, or older traditions like wearing matching nightgowns on Christmas Eve. Knowing that someone will always support you and have your back. These are the first things I think about when I think about my twin sister, Madeleine. Things aren’t always completely perfect, like when stealing clothes leads to petty arguments, and people send you a gift to share as if you’re the same person. But, even if you are mad at each other for something stupid, it doesn’t matter because you’ll get over it as quickly as it started. It was also difficult to learn how to be independent, while sharing the same friends. We ended up doing mostly everything together when growing up, but it’s okay because we became so close along the way.
What I didn’t expect that ended up testing our bond was when my sister got really sick our freshman year of high school. She had constant migraines that would lead to her sitting in the dark for a lot of the day, and was later discovered to be Lyme Disease. I was selfish at first, just beginning my first year of high school, and confused about what was happening to my sister. I just wasn’t there for her enough, which is something I’ll always regret. I had to learn how to handle such a big change, because my twin needed a support system and a lot of empathy during that very tough part of her life. Being a twin can mean growing up, and learning how to be there when your other half is struggling, because she really needs you. I learned how to best help her in those tough moments, whether it was just sitting with her to keep her company, or coming up with ways to make the days brighter.
Being a twin means cheering her on when something exciting happens, and being over the moon happy when she accomplishes something that she’s been working really hard for. I remember when I got into chamber orchestra for my senior year of high school, and wanted to tell Madeleine first, because she knew about how much I had wanted it. I remember how proud of her and thrilled I was when I found out she earned second place in her Deca competition. You have to rally for her at all times, whether they’re good or bad.
My twin is the most caring and supportive person that you’ll ever meet, and I’m grateful for that. I don’t know how I would’ve survived my first semester of college without being able to ask her for advice, and cry to her over FaceTime about how hard things were going. It’s amazing to have someone who won’t judge you for the stupid things you’ve done, said, or thought, but will instead laugh along with you. Having a person like that is something that I wouldn’t trade for anything. When you’re in college you don’t always get to talk everyday, but being a twin means you’re always excited to give updates on the people you’ve met and the places you’ve gone so that she can always be a big part of your world.