Why Twins, Anyway?
Or why singletons, anyway?
Or why sometimes single births and sometimes multiple births, anyway?
Why? It's a word that begins philosophy and perhaps end in wisdom. Why? Why not? Why? Why? Why?
Well, you get the point.
This lens will explore questions I have always had once I realized that I was an identical twin. The only identical twin I ever really known other than myself was my own twin! I am now 70 years old, and have yet to know, in any kind of intimate way, another identical twin. Isn't that strange? Many people know me and have known me over the years. All of them have been singletons. Except two. Read about that story in my entry below, My Twin Above All.
So why identical twins in the world?
Perhaps simply because life loves variety. But there may be a more profound reason or reasons. Why? This is my constant question, and I shall be exploring it until I am no longer in the world of the living.
My lens is titled, Twins in a World of Singletons, as I hope to shed light on how this twin sees the world he lives in. I do not live in the world of twins; I live in the world of singletons. I hope my questions and observations will elicit responses from some readers, be they twins or singletons.
Or why sometimes single births and sometimes multiple births, anyway?
Why? It's a word that begins philosophy and perhaps end in wisdom. Why? Why not? Why? Why? Why?
Well, you get the point.
This lens will explore questions I have always had once I realized that I was an identical twin. The only identical twin I ever really known other than myself was my own twin! I am now 70 years old, and have yet to know, in any kind of intimate way, another identical twin. Isn't that strange? Many people know me and have known me over the years. All of them have been singletons. Except two. Read about that story in my entry below, My Twin Above All.
So why identical twins in the world?
Perhaps simply because life loves variety. But there may be a more profound reason or reasons. Why? This is my constant question, and I shall be exploring it until I am no longer in the world of the living.
My lens is titled, Twins in a World of Singletons, as I hope to shed light on how this twin sees the world he lives in. I do not live in the world of twins; I live in the world of singletons. I hope my questions and observations will elicit responses from some readers, be they twins or singletons.
Contents at a Glance
Wombmates!
A Social Life Before Seeing the Light of Day
The expression "my twin brother" or "my twin sister" is a redundancy. If you are a twin, you and your twin are by definition siblings. Brother and sister both mean having the same parents.There is one historic exception to the statement that twins have the same parents.
After World War II, a West German woman gave birth to twin boys, fraternal twins: one was white and one was black. The doctors were stymied. How could this be? They investigated and found no African relative in either the woman's family nor in the man's family. They searched further and discovered that right after the woman had had sex with the German, she had sex with an African-American soldier stationed in Germany. Later she married the German who accepted that he was the father. So although it's possible that twins not have the same father, they always have the same mother! In the case of identical twins, both twins have the very same parents, of course.
Famous Twins!
We were always in the spotlight!
We were the first identical twins born in our hometown, Framingham, Massachusetts, in 1939. The story appeared in the Framingham News.Two years later, a reporter and a photographer came to cover the celebration of our two-year birthday (photo above in my Introduction).
Our photos and a few lines appeard in the Framingham News when we took our vows in the Paulist Fathers, a congregation of priests in the Catholic Church (photo at left).
On July 10, 1988, the Washington Post Magazine published a cover story on us by Sandra Boodman entitled A Mystical Bond.The occasion was our participation in a study on the effectiness of AZT at the National Institutes of Health. My twin had recently been diagnosed with AIDS. When I get permission to use photos and text from this article, I will publish them here on my lens.
In April of 1989, the announcement of my twin's death appeared in the local Framingham newspaper
My Twin Above All!
Twins have a relationship few understand.
When I was teaching in the Boston Public Schools system back in 1975, I had identical twins in my class. One was with me in the morning session and the other was with me in the afternoon session. Their schedule was such that they did not see each other until they returned home at the end of the school day. Jose and Jesus, young Puerto Ricans, were studying bilingual business skills with me.Once I asked Jose, "If you had to lose everyone in your famiy except one, which one would you choose not to lose?" Without any hesitation he responded, "Jose!" Later in the same day I asked Jesus the same question. He likewise answered, "Jesus!" My twin and I had previously asked ourselves the same question. We both answered with the other's name. So of course I saw nothing strange in the way Jesus and Jose had responded. There is nothing unusual in this special, mystic bond twins everywhere seem to have, especially identical twins.
Later it occurred to me to ask some singletons the same question. Not one singleton chose any member other than their mother or their father, except n one case it was the grandmother!
My conclusion: We twins chose our twin because he was our twin, not because he was our brother, but precisely because he was our twin. Often we say, "twin brothers," but when we are talking about twins, twin brother or twin sister is a redundancy. "My twin" is quite sufficient. More about this in a later entry.
"My Twin." That's It!
Saying "my twin brother" is a redundancy.
My parents named me George and my twin James. So when I say, "my twin, Jimmy" why would I need to add "brother?" Twin means we have the same parents, and George and James are obviously male names. What about fraternal twins where one is male and one is female? Let's call them Mary and Frank. If Frank says, "my twin Mary," is there any need to say, "my twin sister, Mary?" I don't thik so. If a set of male and female twins have gender neutral names, like Kim and Bobby, for example, then I suppose brother and sister become necessary clarifyers.What's my point?
"Twin" is a designation distinct from brother and sister which encompasses the status of brother and/or sister. By adding brother to twin, I miss an opportunity to educate singletons about my unique relation to another human being. Twins are unique in that twins are two human beings that know each other and relate to each other for thousands of hours before they are born. The significance of this fact is only now being studied. I will write more about this later.
(The photo here is of my twin and me celebrating our 49th birthday.)
A Group for Adult Twins
A place for twins and those who love twins!
Description by the founders and moderators of tthe Adult Twins group:
This is a space for Adult Twins to talk about the trials and tribulations that go along with being a Twin. This list is for twins who are interested in sharing their experiences of being a twin. It's also a great place for parents of twins to get insight on any questions they might have about raising their twins from twins who have already been through it. We would also like to welcome all twins, meaning: twins who have lost their twin, fraternal twins, super twins, boy/girl twins and any other combinaton we havent thought of. Join this wonderful email list and tell us about yourself, all are welcome and lurking is allowed.
This is a space for Adult Twins to talk about the trials and tribulations that go along with being a Twin. This list is for twins who are interested in sharing their experiences of being a twin. It's also a great place for parents of twins to get insight on any questions they might have about raising their twins from twins who have already been through it. We would also like to welcome all twins, meaning: twins who have lost their twin, fraternal twins, super twins, boy/girl twins and any other combinaton we havent thought of. Join this wonderful email list and tell us about yourself, all are welcome and lurking is allowed.
Click to join adulttwins
Stuff I like!
Other stuff related to my stuff
Whenever I run across something I think my viewers would appreciate, I link it right here.
- Adult Twins Group
- This is a space for adult twins to talk. Here twins and people close to twins write of things that are important and unique to them.
- Separate twins in school?
- Here is a discussion of an important question: Should twins be separated in school? My own opinion: No, it's discriminatory and insulting.
Your reflections on Twins in this World of Singletons
Please share your thoughts after viewing this lens.
Just about anything relative to twins is revealing to someone! Please say if you are a twin, or if you have regular interactions with a twin or twins. This information will help me know your point of view. All feedback appreciated!
submit
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Reply
- George George Sep 16, 2009 @ 2:17 pm | in reply to momto4
- Dear momto4,
Thank you so much for your comment. By your name, I guess you are the mother to four children of multiple birth. Wow! I am very happy for you. My mother had a boy and a girl before she had me and my twin; then she had another girl. Ofen people would remork how difficult it must have been to have two babies at the same time. Her reply: "The twins were the easiest, requiring the least work because they entertained each other all the time." I hope that is true for you too.
I am glad you enjoyed the photos.
Yours,
George
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Reply
- momto4 momto4 Sep 16, 2009 @ 9:56 am
- Great first lens! It was fun reading about you and your twin. Love the pictures!
Twins on Amazon
Books this twin likes
When my twin and I started researching twins in 1959, there was very little available on twins. Now there is a lot. Here, I will only recommend references I have personally reviewed. Later I will write my own reviews of these items and publish them here on this lens.
Twin Stuff on Amazon
None of these items are personally recommended by this lens. These products got my attention, but I have not checked them out myself. If you try any of these products, please share your opinion with me.
Everything You Need to Know to Have a Healthy Twin Pregnancy
Amazon Price: $12.24 (as of 11/30/2009) 
Emotionally Healthy Twins: A New Philosophy for Parenting Two Unique Children
Amazon Price: (as of 11/30/2009)
National Geographic: In the Womb - Multiples
Amazon Price: $16.49 (as of 11/30/2009)
Baby Trend Double Snap N Go Stroller Frame, Black
Amazon Price: (as of 11/30/2009)
Raising Twins: What Parents Want to Know (And What Twins Want to Tell Them)
Amazon Price: $12.20 (as of 11/30/2009)
by Misterioso
Before I was born on February 5, 1939, I had a unique experience for a human being: I had a wombmate!
Identical twins, we were named George and James... (more)
Identical twins, we were named George and James... (more)
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