#ThrowbackThursday: "This I Believe"

#ThrowbackThursday: Ten Years ago, when I was a senior in high school, I had to write an essay on "This I Believe" for my Philosophy class. I decided to write that "I believe everyone needs a twin," based on my own experiences. Even though I wrote this piece back in 2007, I would still say the same thing today.

This I Believe

I felt bump after bump as I tumbled down the steps that fateful day when I was three years old. All I could feel was pain and all I could think was that I was heading towards my death at the bottom. Then I was miraculously saved from that horrid fate by the small arms of my twin brother as he reached out to catch me. As we have grown older my twin brother has continued to look out for me, and I have been able to help him in other situations. We share an extraordinary bond, which is why I believe that everyone needs a twin.

Many people think I am successful since I get good grades, am a decent athlete, and get along with everyone. Yet, I could never have become accomplished in these areas without my twin brother. I always have a study partner and someone to help me with my homework. There is always someone to push me when I am running or exercising. Growing up I was exposed to different people, like individuals of the opposite sex, through my twin brother. I owe my prosperity in life to the fact that I have a twin.

I admit that there are downsides to being a twin. There are the typical sibling rivalries and fights, the desire for solitude, and the struggle for an individual identity. My brother and I are always around one another, and it is often hard for us to distinguish ourselves as two distinct persons. We are known as “the twins” or “SamandClaire,” as if we are one being. Yet, the positives of twinship far outweigh the disadvantages.

As a twin, I always have someone there for me; someone who listens to me when I have a problem; someone who comforts me when I am upset; someone who truly understands me. My twin is simultaneously a friend and a family member. Sometimes we help each other pull through family conflicts, at others we can talk to each other about the issues between our friends. We support one another through difficult situations. Being a twin means that there is always someone to lend you an ear, a helping hand, or a comforting heart.

Being a twin means you are never alone. You always have a playmate, a confidant, a helper, a protector, and a friend. Having a twin helps individuals overcome the hardships and struggles of growing up in the world. Everybody needs a twin to make their lives easier in order to accomplish their goals and dreams. That is why I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people on the earth.