Dear twin,

I think I may have a fear of being alone because I didn’t come into the world that way. I came in with you. And even though my life is jam packed with people that seem to be “more like me,” I think us being completely dissimilar makes for a great story. We’re the day and night, fire and ice, salt and pepper duo. We see things so differently and yet we still understand everything about each other. We’ve never really been apart but the time for us to be without each other is coming closer and before it does, I want to leave you with some “golden nuggets.”

The first of all things is your faith. If you keep your faith strong, He will move mountains for you. Understand that everything happens in God’s time. Your efforts are not going to waste. I promise. Think only positive thoughts because the negative thoughts seem to manifest themselves way quicker than the positive ones—so make them full and plenty. Goodness will come into your life if you speak it there. I’m not preaching to you because I know you hate that. I’m only telling you what’s worked for me.

And in your season of waiting, challenge your mind and self to do something different. Be bold. Experiment and learn new things about yourself. Meet people. Talk to strangers. Take up a new hobby. Those ideas you think make no sense, usually don’t 100% of the time. They’re not supposed to. But when they do, take them, run with them and make something great out of them because you’re brilliant. Appreciate “the ride” for what it is. One day your nieces and nephews will ask you about how you lived and you’ll need lots of stories to tell them.

I hope you love yourself as much as I love you. I hope you love the gorgeous, intelligent, nurturing you. I hope you love the quirky, clumsy and clever you—the twin-supporter-best-friend in you. And even though I don’t say it nearly as much as I should, no one has ever had my back the way you do. Come hell or high water, you’ll ride for me. And I don’t mean that figuratively, I mean it literally. Like the time you saw me drowning in the wave pool at Splish Splash and tried to come to my rescue but instead we just drowned together until a lifeguard came to save the day. At 13, it was so embarrassing, but I wouldn’t want to go down with anybody else.

Know that I’m always here for you, and that when I grow you grow with me. Your worries are my worries so worry less. I’m here to carry half of the load.

I love you always,

Your Keeper