Girl....

When my twin sis and I were kids, we would play, "Girl". Girl wasn't necessarily a game but just like you'd play "house" or "teacher", we played "Girl".

We'd pretend to go camping with our teddy bears or walking around in our mom's high heels, going to a party. We'd call each other on our pretend phones and talk like we were miles away, when actually, we were just a few feet apart. We never had a moment to get bored of "Girl". I'd say, "Girl, what are you doing?" She would reply, "Going to Disneyland, me and honey and kids." Then, I'd pretend that "my honey and I and kids were going on a picnic."

I laugh now when I think of how serious and innocent life was when my sister and I were growing up. The biggest worry for me was wetting the bed at night. Even then, my twin, never made me feel like a pee pot. She never ridiculed me but encouraged me to wake up dry the next morning.

I was her nail biting coach, smacking her when I caught her biting her nails. (She told me to 'cause that's what Girls do...they have each other's backs.)

We shared just about everything. If she had a sucker that tasted better than the one I had, she let me share her sucker too.

When her hula hoop ended up being bent like a football, I shared mine with her, because that's what Girls do.

We shared books, jokes, socks, coloring books, hopes, fears and dreams. We would stay up for hours, talking about the "one days" of life. You know, the "when I get married, I'm going to...."

Now, that we are miles apart, I long for the days of when we were young again. I miss her so much that it seems almost cruel that twins should be separated from one another. Yet, the reality is, that her and I don't live in the same state and life goes on. The best way that we can face the distance is to use what we are given...texting, emailing and skyping. It doesn't make up for not being face to face, but it helps lessen the hurt of missing my twin sister.

Not long ago, when I was in the hospital, I remember looking across the room and my twin was trying to get comfortable in a chair while she sat watching me to make sure she was close by if I needed anything. I thought about when we were kids and how much I really feel blessed to have her. She showed her strength and she reminded me that giving up wasn't an option.

I can never repay the joy that I had in having her here to help me get through the tough stuff.

So, Girl, I just want you to know how much I love and appreciate you. You are my wind beneath my wings. PS--thank you for bringing paper dolls, coloring books and tattoos. You are the best twin sister ever!
Simone