What’s it like to be a twin?

There are may famous twins in the media: the Weasley twins, Mary Kate & Ashley Olson, and, our favorite, Zac & Cody.

Although the portrayal of twins is somewhat correct in movies, it only hints at the true joy of being a twin. Kayla and I celebrate being twins, but it wasn’t always that way.

When we were young, we bickered but eventually always immediately made up. Although we would have small tiffs, we found a way to love being twins. We would have “twin days,” days designated for each other when we would do the things we love together: hiking or watching our favorite movies or wearing a matching outfit.

Today, we have even more “twin days” and love spending as much time together as we can. By the end of high school, we depended on each other like puzzle pieces, very different but fitting perfectly together. For example, she would do my makeup in the mornings, and I would make our lunches every morning. When we went to college, we missed our other puzzle piece. I couldn’t do makeup and she wanted my lunches. We missed each other constantly, but became comfortable with the longing anyone apart from those they love knows too well.

Although we attended different university’s, we intentionally found and coordinated a semester in Florence, Italy together our sophomore year. We found out that we not only love living together, but also love traveling together (which we did all over the European continent).

As time continued, we only get closer. We are very different individuals, but bring out the best in each other. We incessantly claim the other is the better half.

To sum it up, here are our favorite things about being twins:

1. A twin makes means you are never alone: have you ever had to go to some random event by yourself? When we grew up, we had to go to countless sports games for our brother. What would be a boring, annoying event became fun with Kayla.
2. A twin is an advocate when you cannot stand up for yourself: Kim can read my mind and sometimes expresses my needs when I do not want to inconvenience others.
3. A twin sometimes understands you better than you know yourself: Kayla both knows every part of my story and is not me, a unique combo that allows her valuable insight into my life.
4. A twin challenges you to be a better version of yourself: Because you grow up so close to another, a twin knows when you need to be called out or comforted. A twin also can motivate you to do things you are too nervous to start alone (ie this blog).
5. A twin can basically read your mind: After being together for years, Kayla can tell what every one of my movements means and sometimes anticipate my reactions before they happen.
6. A twin helps you understand others better: Because we are so used to identifying subtle signals of another, we find ourselves more likely to sympathize and empathize with others.

Although these are things we like about being a twin, it is clear that these can be present in many families or relationships in general. In others’ lives, I have seen many selflessly fill all 6 of these things and more; I simply have the unique privilege of finding them all in one wonderful, beautiful human named Kayla Brooking. And I, in Kimberly Brooking.