If you’ve read my About page, you know I have a twin sister, Kristy. Yes, we’re identical. I’m the older one–by two whole minutes. And while we share the same birthing circumstance, my sister and I are two very different people. Growing up, this wasn’t easy to establish.
You may know a set of twins (or you may be one!) and you’ve probably heard the myths floating around out there. In attempt to squash those queries on telepathic tendencies, I’d like to set the record straight on a few of the more popular misconceptions.
Myth #4: There’s a good twin and bad twin in every pair.
When I was seven or so I smashed the eye of Kristy’s Fraggle to smithereens–it was hardly my shining moment as a twin, but I wasn’t forced to carry the label throughout our childhood. Kristy even returned the favor by decapitating Barbie, so you can see we were great at taking turns.
Myth #3: All twins have a special language.
Haven’t you ever known someone so well that you “got” what they meant when no one else had a clue? I will admit that Kristy and I have developed a talent for understanding each other’s butchered punch lines. For instance: “Your Mama’s so fat, the kids say Hey, Kool-Aid!” (What?) Without a thought to my omissions, Kristy would laugh (heartily) while everyone else would stare in perplexity. Special language? Probably not, but that may be a twin thing…
Myth #2: All identical twins share some form of ESP.
Maybe I’m biased in my apparent exclusion from this phenomenon, but I just don’t buy it–though others have tried to place me in this circle. I actually had a friend randomly pinch me once (hard) and while I clasped the offended area, he looked at my sister expectantly, clearly hoping for the slightest reaction other than the raised eyebrow he was receiving for his rudeness.
Myth #1: Twins are exactly alike in every way.
We may be split from the same egg, but we’re not clones. Twins may look alike, dress alike, even act alike, but we want to be seen as individuals. I know the Olsen Twins both pulled it off as Michelle Tanner on Full House, but do you really want to use a show starring Bob Saget as your basis for reality?
The point?
Forget the tales and see twins for who they really are: regular fellows who just happen to have a look-alike.
