The Wavelength of Twins

People often ask me what life is like with a twin. For the majority of my life, I said that it was indescribable because I didn’t have anything to compare it to. However, as I’ve grown older I have come to realize that being a twin means that you have never truly been alone. From the first point of your existence, you had company. As your own heartbeat was forming, you were learning the sound of theirs beating beside you. In some cases, being a twin means being one-half of the same miracle.

A special bond exists between twins; a frequency foreign to others. Of course, this bond connects siblings, but any twin knows that the frequency extends toward other twins in the universe. Eventually, you stop becoming surprised that your new friend is also a twin and instead find comfort in the fact that you must be going in the right direction.

In my little life, other twins have become some of the most important people along my journey. Notably, six years ago a twin that I met in an airport on our way to a different country accidentally gave me a nickname that impacted the course of my life. Shortly after, I was hired by another twin to work in a restaurant on my University campus. Without a doubt, this job led to some of my greatest friendships, adventures, stories, and loves. Many of which inspired the bold choices undertaken during my undergrad – like travelling the world and living or studying in different countries.

When abroad and travelling Africa, during a week in Nigeria, I met a stranger around my age from Tanzania. Within one conversation, we realized we both had twin brothers. Sparking an international friendship, that led to me staying with her for a while in West Hollywood. A year later, I moved into a dorm room in Hong Kong, meeting one of my most beloved friends. You can imagine how exciting it was to learn that yet another twin was about to impact my life… and occupy the bed less than 6 feet away from me for the rest of the year. Good thing we were both comfortable sharing tight spaces with another person.

Most recently, serendipitously, I met Justin. A talented photographer, an encouraging friend, and a fellow twin. After a phone conversation across the continent, I learned that Justin’s twin had passed away before he was able to meet properly. However, as mentioned previously, there is an indescribable force that connects twins, just as I have connected with my brother, Justin has connected with his. Carrying the memory and feeling of his twin, indefinitely.

Justin and I initially connected due to our involvement in the NFT space. Him as a photographer and cultivator, me as an art historian and writer. His photography project, Twin Flames, documents 100 twins that he has met and connected with. As one of the first photographers to become successful in the NFT space, or to even mint a photograph, meeting Justin has led to a network of brilliant minds.

Additionally, as soon as we both learned that we are twins, an immediate trust formed. Then, a few days later, a book arrived at my front door that absolutely took my breath away. Justin gifted me a printed photo book of his collection, Twin Flames, and within minutes tears had filled my eyes and love had flooded my heart. Not only have I met a new friend who has already helped me in my academic journey in so many ways, but I’ve also been reminded of how special it is to be a twin. Connect with Justin’s work at the links below, and read my dissertation this summer to learn more about NFTs, including Justin’s!

Justin’s work can be found here: https://www.justinaversano.com/twin-flames/book