An Opposite Pairing

Contradiction can be simply be opposite, not opposition.  Case in point…

Tony and Tina grew up each part of a pair.  Born 15 minutes apart, they were fraternal twins, one of each.

To their mother, the word twin meant “to match”.  In their formative years, she dressed them in boy and girl sailor suits, cowboy and cowgirl outfits and any other matching boy/girl ware.

But as they grew into their personalities, they were no longer a matched set.  As much as they looked alike, they were the proverbial ying and yang.

Tina is an extrovert. Tony is an introvert.  As Tina became liberal, Tony went to the conservative side.  He often said he only voted in elections to cancel out her vote.

He is good at numbers.  She is not.  She is fan of the performance arts. He is not. She hates sports.  He loves them.

But for all of their opposites, they spent childhood together as best friends in constant companionship.  They played thousands of board games, bike rides, ball games and competitions together.  She never won, but she played anyway.

Despite his introversion and aversion to the arts, they would make up skits together and act them out together – but no one would ever see.  Around only her, he was clever and glib.

In high school, they started to drift a little, with different friends and different interests.  But they still helped and supported each other.  He would attend every play and concert, although he hated it and she would cheer him on at every meet.  Tina even set up school dance dates for him, as he was too shy to ask girls out, at first.

They separated for college and went on different paths.  She got married and had kids right away.  His shyness never allowed him to meet the right girl, so Tina set him up with her kids’ preschool teacher and they were married.

As adults, they lived next door to each other and helped raise each other’s children.  Based on looks, people thought Tina’s young boys were Tony’s and Tony’s little girls were Tina’s.  After all, they were twins, some resemblance was expected.  Each tried to impart their sensibilities on each other’s children, to balance both sides of the contrary scale.

Separate but equal, they lived lives of contradiction, never agreeing on anything.  But discussions never led to arguments, as each appreciated a diverse viewpoint and agreed to disagree.

Though philosophically worlds apart, they maintained their embryonic bond throughout life.  Each thought their relationship enhanced each other, making them better people, as they embraced their diversities.

Just like Tony and Tina, we all started the same and came from one.  But the world’s brothers and sisters seem to enhance the divide, instead of accepting contractions to create a symmetrical and symbiotic peace.