Category Archives: twins

My Aunt and the Black Lawn Jockey

Posted on August 5, 2020 by jyourist

My aunt, my mother’s twin, had a black lawn jockey on her front lawn. It appeared some time in the 60s in the midst of the Civil Rights movement. My cousin, my aunt’s daughter, told me that actually her mother … Continue reading →

Posted in African-Americans, civil rights, equity, family, twins, white privilege | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Twin replantings

Posted on September 21, 2013 by jyourist

On this equinox, I divided and replanted the peony that was first planted over 86 years ago when my mother and her twin were born. Since I first planted them in the front yard about a dozen years ago, the … Continue reading →

Posted in flowers, twins | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The twins’ birthday

Posted on July 22, 2013 by jyourist

The twins are in deep conversation. Just the two of them. My aunt is at the left, my mother on the right. My aunt is complaining about her life, her health, and familial challenges. My mother is comforting her. My … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, compassion, family, health, twins | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Birthday Princess

Posted on July 26, 2012 by jyourist

Today is my mother and her twin’s birthday. 85 years old. My mother has had Parkinson’s for some time now. She has lost her independence in the world. Now she is confined, for the most part, to a wheel chair, needs … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, family, transformation, twins | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Egyptian eyes

Posted on February 13, 2011 by jyourist

There’s always a touchstone when you’re an identical twin. My mother is one and it’s sometimes hard for me to imagine the pressure of the competition of that touchstone. Which one is prettier? Thinner? Smarter? Which one married better? Has … Continue reading →

Posted in aging, family, growing up, Parkinson's, twins | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments