Sisterkins

My sister and I were saying to our mother a couple of weeks ago that we are either--I forget which--80 percent the same, but the 20 percent that's different is REALLY different, or else the opposite, 80 percent different, but the 20 percent that's the same is REALLY similar. The point is that the differences and similarities are both kind of extreme. We used to tend to think of ourselves as opposites, but in a lot of ways we've converged as we've gotten older. For one thing, we look a lot more alike than we used to, now that she's no longer blonde and I wear glasses. A weird British man recently thought we were twins. That's odd, because she is about four inches taller than me, but the family resemblance is pretty obvious.

We also have a psychic link. Often all I have to do is tap my head and she knows what I'm thinking. It's kind of uncanny. Today we accidentally wore almost the exact same outfit, down to the fashion-questionable red bra straps showing underneath a purplish-brown tank top (it's painfully hot in Beijing, and good taste has to fall by the wayside).

On this trip, I've realized that I enjoy noticing our similarities, because my sister is so cool that it's nice to think of being like her. I've also realized how great it is to have a sister, to have shared so much with someone that your minds just kind of work the same way.

If you get a chance to spend a month hanging out with your sister, I highly recommend it.