Twinsies

Have you ever met someone who seems to be living your same life? Their experiences seem so mirrored in your own that you feel like the second half of a whole, even if you just met? I had this odd sensation at work last week. One of the tasks I perform as part of my job duties is meeting one-on-one with customers after they attend an orientation to hear all about the services provided in my workplace. These are individuals who have been requested to attend because they are collecting unemployment compensation benefits. So, after one such session last week a man only a few decades older than me sat down with me for a meeting. I don’t remember which mundane question I asked him that opened the floodgates, but I was soon swimming in a deluge of information about his 9 year old grandson who had been abused by his mother, father and step-father. He had taken kinship custody of his grandson but they were struggling with the boys traumatic past. When he lamented having issues getting services and I whole-heartedly agreed with him, he understood I was a kindred spirit. I briefly explained I am a foster parent and so I know the fight he is making for his grandson, as I have done the same thing for children in my care. To even further our uncanny connection, he described being divorced and finding it hard to introduce someone to the life he is currently living. Once again, I confirmed a similar life experience and gave him some information about a book about childhood trauma I found somewhat helpful. I had to remain professional and not really share too much of my own personal story, but it gave me goosebumps to realize just how similar our lives were, barring gender and a few decades in age. We probably could have sat and talked for hours, if I wasn’t on the clock.

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