Identity Theft
Over the years of my life, I can't recall how many times I've been asked what is it like being a twin? I'm never quite sure how to answer that question. When I was younger, I sort of shrugged my shoulders and said fine, I guess. It wasn't until I was much older when I really gave it some thought and my answer changed. Now it's simply addressed with a statement that I don't know what it's like not being a twin, so I don't have anything to compare it against. Of course, I have friends who give me more sarcastic answers that I should provide when asked that question, but I'm not quite the blunt, confrontation, smart-ass they'd like me to be and couldn't pull it off if I tried. However, I did come to the realization that sometimes it feels like identity theft.
I haven't really done a lot of research myself on twins, but it does seem that most "sets", while similar, are opposites as well. Your mirror and your opposite, seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves, a special kind of double.
Over time, I will reflect on this topic many times and share various thoughts and stories as you see, it is part of me and who I am and should provide plenty of entertainment along the way.
How can it not, when you think about the many perks, but there are just as many downsides if you disect it enough. It doesn't matter how hard you try, how hard your parents may try to give each of you your own space, you share. Everything from the womb to clothes, boyfriends to meals, DNA and sometimes even your thoughts. While we share many things, identical twins develop our own personalities, character, likes and dislikes, hobbies, and emotions just as any other siblings do. We share some very similar traits, but each twin is their own individual person.
So, you might ask, how is it like identity theft, why use that term. Now I'm not referring to the fraudulent form of identity theft to gain access to resources for goods and services, but in a subtle way. For example, there are not many, but the few photographs my parents had taken of the two of us when we were little, are not labeled, so every time we pull out the albums it's an examination and discussion before my mother or father simply says, I don't know. So it arouses speculation that has you wondering if they were 100% sure of who you were every time they picked you and called you by your name during those early years in life. Are you really the "twin" they awarded the name you use today. Could you have been "switched" at birth. Those are the questions your siblings ask you during the discussions and debates trying to figure out who's who in the baby pictures. Of course it doesn't help that you're both dressed identical. It wasn't until at least 5 years of age when my parents decided that maybe they could dress us in the same outfits, but different colors so it might be easier for others to determine who was who. It then became easier in the photographs to say who was who (that is if my parents or one of us remember who had the red dress and who had the blue).
My identity theft is one of being individual and having an identity to begin with, not just being one of the twins, but an individual with my own likes and dislikes and unique gifts and special talents. I know my twin sister didn't steal my identity, she's just a part of it and I'm okay with that.
I haven't really done a lot of research myself on twins, but it does seem that most "sets", while similar, are opposites as well. Your mirror and your opposite, seen as someone who is both ourselves and very much not ourselves, a special kind of double.
Over time, I will reflect on this topic many times and share various thoughts and stories as you see, it is part of me and who I am and should provide plenty of entertainment along the way.
How can it not, when you think about the many perks, but there are just as many downsides if you disect it enough. It doesn't matter how hard you try, how hard your parents may try to give each of you your own space, you share. Everything from the womb to clothes, boyfriends to meals, DNA and sometimes even your thoughts. While we share many things, identical twins develop our own personalities, character, likes and dislikes, hobbies, and emotions just as any other siblings do. We share some very similar traits, but each twin is their own individual person.
So, you might ask, how is it like identity theft, why use that term. Now I'm not referring to the fraudulent form of identity theft to gain access to resources for goods and services, but in a subtle way. For example, there are not many, but the few photographs my parents had taken of the two of us when we were little, are not labeled, so every time we pull out the albums it's an examination and discussion before my mother or father simply says, I don't know. So it arouses speculation that has you wondering if they were 100% sure of who you were every time they picked you and called you by your name during those early years in life. Are you really the "twin" they awarded the name you use today. Could you have been "switched" at birth. Those are the questions your siblings ask you during the discussions and debates trying to figure out who's who in the baby pictures. Of course it doesn't help that you're both dressed identical. It wasn't until at least 5 years of age when my parents decided that maybe they could dress us in the same outfits, but different colors so it might be easier for others to determine who was who. It then became easier in the photographs to say who was who (that is if my parents or one of us remember who had the red dress and who had the blue).
My identity theft is one of being individual and having an identity to begin with, not just being one of the twins, but an individual with my own likes and dislikes and unique gifts and special talents. I know my twin sister didn't steal my identity, she's just a part of it and I'm okay with that.
Love it Lee. But I can still tell who is who in that photo. No worries you are you and she is she. As far as opposites......we know who the evil twin is. Hehehehehe!
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