Dear Wombmate,

Just one day ago, the person I started this wonderful, crazy, life with, and have lived alongside, left me. She is off to explore the world and set her big, beautiful mind to understanding it. She will stand tall as the future stares her in the face, and she will conquer any obstacle thrown at her with elegance and grace.

Just one day ago, the person I started this wonderful, crazy, life with, left me.

Many people have approached me and asked me how I feel about this.

“Are you sad you two will be separated?”

“Will it be weird not being together?”

“What will you do without your other half?”

Now, the answer to all of these questions may be somewhat unexpected from someone looking in on our lives. The thing with twins is, they’re two of a kind. An automatic best friend. A built in companion.

However, what people fail to consider, are the answers they would not expect.

Of course, it will be sad without my sister. Just like in any relationship, you’ll miss the other person. Of course, it will be weird not coming home and seeing my sister with her signature glass of wine and knitting needles. Of course, it will take a new approach to live without my “other half.”

As much as I wish I could though, I just cannot bring myself to say that I’m sad. I’m one of a lot of emotions, but sad is not one of them. Instead, I feel proud. I feel proud to have a twin that is so incredibly brilliant and interesting and strong. I’m not sad to be away from her, because I know she’ll be impacting new lives and touching more hearts. All I can hope is that she can see what everyone else sees- a bright, young, woman with an old soul and lots of thought to give.

Instead of thinking it will be weird being separated, I think it will be healthy. As much as we love each other, there is nothing similar about us. She even describes me as the sun, an ever flowing source of energy and interaction, and herself as the stars, sometimes seeming far and distant but always present. If we were together for our future, one of us would be hindered. Our strengths and interests lie in different places, and it wouldn’t make sense to try to keep them together. Sure, it will be weird without her, but what would be more weird was if we tried to conform to fit into the same mold.

Now, the only answer left to think about is “what will I do without my other half?” That’s a tough one. I guess I’d like to think that we’re halves that make two separate wholes. Now, before you start thinking about how stupid that sounds (yes, that means you wombmate), think about a flower for a minute (or a cactus). If you take a cutting from it, you’ll get a whole new plant. It comes from the same place, but forms its own little piece of world. That’s like us. We come from the same place but are able to create our own life from the other. We’re from a whole that became a half that makes a new whole.

I hope you know how lucky I feel. I hope you know that when you tell me your stories or rants or problems I always listen. I hope you know that you are loved for your quiet voice and your loud mind. I hope you know that you are beautiful.

And I hope whoever has the honor to meet you and learn from you and grow with you will know just how lucky they are. Their life has just been changed in a wonderful way.

All my love,

Your Wombmate