Wednesday, January 13, 2010

My Own Personal "Twilight Zone" Episode

In one of my psych courses in college, we studied the whole "nature vs. nurture" thing by reading about identical twins who were separated at birth. I found it fascinating that two identical middle-aged women who were raised 2000 miles apart would grow up to go into similar professions, marry men with the same names and have the exact same hobbies. I always thought it would be cool to have someone like that in my life. It turns out that I kinda do.

My sister and I are five years apart and until we'd both grown up and gone to college, we didn't really have much to say to one another. We didn't really fight a lot growing up, but we didn't really have a whole lot in common, either.

We're beginning to discover just how much we have in common now that we're adults with families of our own and it's really freaking us out. For example:

* We unknowingly bought our parents the exact same anniversary card this year. Seriously, of the hundreds of different anniversary cards that are out there, we went to two separate stores and bought the same one.
* When I mentioned that I was thinking of getting the kids a Little People Nativity Set for Christmas, she told me not to because she'd already bought one for them.
* She invited us to have dinner with her family this past weekend and asked if we liked spaghetti squash. I replied that we did, but I had just bought one and was planning to prepare it for dinner in the next few days. Instead of the squash, she prepared pork, corn casserole and broccoli slaw. Guess what I have on my menu for later this week? Pork, corn casserole and broccoli slaw.
* And today, I picked up the phone to call our mom and instead of hearing the phone ring through the receiver, I heard my sister's voice. She had just called me to ask me something and I happened to pick up the phone at the exact same time.

Seriously, we're a little weirded out by it all. Wouldn't you be?

Have you ever had a connection like this with someone in your life? Is it normal or should we submit ourselves for psychological testing?

7 comments:

  1. I actually think it's pretty normal between sisters. My sisters and I have all selected the exact same cards before, on MORE THAN ONE OCCASION, even, and have also done that pick-up-the-phone-to-call-your-sister-only-to-have-her-be-on-the-other-end-already. It's kinda freaky, though, I agree. But you know, they say siblings have the closest genetic similarity of all the different familial relationships on earth. Even closer than parent and child. So...

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  2. Oh and also, oh my GOSH, my sister is now sort-of dating my HUSBAND'S BROTHER. How freaky is THAT?

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  3. That's a little freaky Jana, but then again I don't have a sister, so it could be perfectly normal too!

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  4. Cool! I wish I had that with someone!

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  5. Note to Sarah's comment: My mother's brother married my daddy's sister. So I had what's known as a "double first-cousin"! Haven't thought of that for a long time until I read your comment to Jana.

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  6. Jana that happens to me and my sister all the time, too. I know that they say that twins have that ESP connection, but I think it is any siblings that have a close relationship. It makes me feel good, though, to know that we are so close.

    Kristin D

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