Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Two times one is two together!

After my home, the place that I spend a lot of time in a week is our neighbourhood supermarket. Boy!  I go that way for something totally not related to grocery shopping and I will not return without stepping inside. Somehow, there is always something to buy.

There is a tall lean dusky girl employed there whom I have been encountering for the past couple of months. Her age must have a close proximity to twenty and she is quite brisk at work and always helpful. She always bears a lovely smile and would always rush to my assistance to keep my little girl occupied while I finished off the billing and payment at the self check out counter.

The other day I had just finished piling up my shopping cart; As always with a few things I had come to buy and a whole lot of other do-I-really-need-them things I just found on the racks during my visit. I was busy bending over the basket and taking the items one by one for billing. I nonchalantly lifted my gaze and saw her standing a few feet away from where I was. I smiled, continued with what I was doing. I was about to pay when my eyes drifted towards her again and Lo! I was in for a surprise. There were two of them. A kind of clone image of her stood next to her; Same height,weight, complexion, hairstyle, way of dressing and above all photocopied facial features!  'Wow' I could not help but exclaim out aloud. I finished my payment and moved towards them pushing my stroller along.

I popped the question they must have heard a zillion times since they entered this world together. " SO you are twins?" . They nodded with a grin.

"Who works here?"

"We both do!" they said in unison.

"Oh!Have I been seeing both of you without realizing that its two people or was it the same person?" I was really not sure, they were that similar.

"Thats me" one of them answered.

Some things in life just make you feel good and smile though you are totally not related. The concept of twins is one such. Its kind of an 'Aww!So Cute' thing.

Ask the parents of any of these siblings on earth. Well, "Aww Not that cute" would be their reply.Raising and taking care of one baby is a hectic round the clock job. Imagine two of those!

I have two cousins with twin children one each on my maternal and paternal side. To begin with , during the gestation itself its double the load on the mother. The most likely mode of birth would be a caeserean section, that too slightly before full mature term to avoid later complications. Then all the work aka bathing, changing nappies, feeding, cleaning and everything baby related is double. That is if they come with the tag 'We are the best behaved and easiest to maintain infants'. Considering the quintessential unpredictability infants possess its much more than that. Half the night goes sleepless pacifying a screaming child while his twin is huddled snugly and fast asleep. The wailing infant finally decides to sleep and this act behaves like a silent alarm and wakes up his sibling. By the time the second one is pacified, its time for the sun to greet everyone.

The expenses as they grow also arrive in double - Right from diapers all the way to their college education unless colleges come forward with a enroll one-other goes free system.

I had a teacher with twins during my schooling years. Every evening after school she would feed them some food and I clearly remember how much running she would do after them. They would always be running at 180 degrees from each other and away from their mother and the food. We loathed her for the pain she used to be in our class but this scene always evoked our pity.

Well these are some challenges but its indeed a beautiful thing.  Seeing two of your kids achieve all the milestones together and blossom into fully grown individuals is a difficult yet highly rewarding experience.
The bond the two of them share is something unique. A companion for life enters the world together with you and stays together in thick and thin. They are partners in everything from classes to play time to smearing mummy's lipstick all over the dresser.Usually there is no sibling rivalry. They know each other in and out. In fact some studies suggest that a sort of telepathy exists between them.

To all mothers and of course fathers who are parents to twins, Kudos to you for all the efforts.

To the twins themselves, well, you are 'Aww So Cute!' I have to agree :D

Image courtesy of Boians Cho Joo Young at FreeDigitalPhotos.net