Friend

We’ve been friends for as long as I can remember. Well, longer than that. We’ve been friends since before I was capable of remembering, since before I even had conscious thought, before I could see or breathe or had a heartbeat. There was never a time that we weren’t part of each other. We are the same down to our DNA.
What’s it like to have a friend like that? I don’t think I can accurately describe it because I’ve never known what it’s like not to have a friend like that; a friend so close that we finish each other’s sentences and with a simple look, know what the other is thinking. No, I’m not talking about telepathy here; it’s much more simple than that. When you know a person, really know them inside and out; know everything they’ve ever done, everything they want to do, and experienced most of it with them, knowing what they’re thinking is easy.
As alike as we are physically, we are still two very different people. Even though we’ve lived through near identical experiences, those experiences have shaped us differently. Like fingerprints, though our DNA can confound the best PI, one look at our fingerprints and our identity is exposed. Shaped differently. Slight differences in the uterine environment caused this defining individuality. Slight differences in perception and opinion shaped us into different people. I like blue; she likes green. I love to organize; she’s the decorator. I write; she paints. I can’t live without her, but I can’t be everything she needs. She loves my company, but sometimes all I need is space. Still, we are as close as we want to be and share a bond closer than many people will ever experience.
Is there anything that can come between a bond like that? Yes, there is, and actually, it’s the small things that do it. Tiny annoyances, if allowed to fester, can drive a wedge between even a perfect companionship. Small acts of selfishness can undermine a confident relationship. The biggest struggles, the hard, deep things only draw us closer. Distance, another one of those friendship enders, is no obstacle; we connect remotely as easily as we do face to face. Time or lack of is also a non-issue; we are as comfortable with each other after a month of silence as an hour.
There’s nothing like the feeling of being unconditionally accepted. Of revealing your darkness and finding it a mere shadow; not as black of deeds as you imagined for the one person you trust and believe in more than anyone else in the world deals with it too.
Consider this: if we all had a friend like this, would we be happier? I think so, yes. Isn’t that one of the profound things people search for, to have someone that truly understands and accepts them? The only difference is that I didn’t have to risk anything to trust myself, my truth with my sister. Put any two people in identical situations with identical experiences to direct their reactions and the ability to empathize with each other would be unavoidable. We would all feel the same pain or joy or love or hate. Discovery of your “twin”; however, will take much more courage. I’m just lucky God did my search for me.

For my sister.