I'm a Twin

I'm sad.

Really sad.

You see, I'm a twin.

For fourteen years, my twin sister and I lived hundreds of miles apart. We talked often, visited when we could, and picked up right where we left off every time we were together—but it just wasn't the same.

Then, a little over a year ago...

Something wonderful happened.

She moved to Arizona.

Not just to Arizona...

She moved two miles away.

I can't even describe how excited I was.

What surprised me most was discovering a part of my heart I didn't even know had been empty until she arrived.

It's true what people say about twins.

There's a bond that's difficult to explain unless you've experienced it.

We walked through every stage of childhood side by side. We shared birthdays, baptism days, classrooms, memories... and yes, even our looks.

Who else gets to share all of that with their very best friend?

Even after fourteen years apart, we slipped right back into our friendship as though no time had passed at all.

We still finish each other's sentences.

We still know what the other is thinking.

Some things never change.

Life has a funny way of weaving our stories together, too.

We each have five children.

We each have three boys and two girls.

Our children love each other like cousins... and argue with each other like siblings.

We've shared birthday parties, holidays, ordinary afternoons, and countless everyday moments that became extraordinary simply because we were together.

When one of us leaves town, there's never a worry.

We know our children will be loved and cared for exactly as we would care for them ourselves.

It's one of life's greatest blessings.

Which brings me to why I'm sad.

After finally having my sister living just down the road...

There's a very real possibility she may be moving away again.

This time...

All in the name of love.

Her wonderful boyfriend proposed, and he lives in Utah.

Please don't misunderstand me.

I couldn't be happier for her.

After walking through a very painful divorce, she has found someone who truly loves her and brings happiness back into her life.

She deserves every bit of that joy.

I really am thrilled for her.

I just can't help feeling sad for me.

The thought of hundreds of miles separating us again is hard.

Very hard.

There's a saying that encourages us to love what is.

For her...

I'm there.

For me...

I'm still working on it.

And that's okay.

Because sometimes loving someone deeply means celebrating what's best for them, even while your own heart aches a little.

And today...

Mine does.