Private letters, twin to twin.

Private letters from my uncle and my dad, identical twins. Just wanted to keep them here for posterity.

From Bobo February 5th 2012 3:09am after being reunited with his twin brother for a brief holiday. They were apart for 4+ years.  My uncle (who is blind) is plagued with insomnia, exasperated I am sure by the fact that he is in perpetual darkness.

My Dearest Stirling and Diana

A week ago all things looked alright?  (*smile)  I had bags of time to handle the final event of my packing, organising my paperwork, shoring up my inner belief that I would see you again? 

What a surreal moment and what a weird way of handling a twinship. 

Yet, (*smile) I am firstly a twin, connected to you and your home in an amazing way. 

I am also an individual and .. must run along and carve out my own life and purpose.  What a privileged position to be in and I would not have it any other way. 

We are competitive people and we need space to perform.  Yet we have remained very close, and I praise God for this?

Yet, I cannot tell you how painful it is ... just the thought of not being physically connected to you. 

You know Stirling I can still feel your loving hug you gave me at the Atlanta Airport. 

Your excitement, your giggle and your hurried way in trying to assist us with the luggage and ... our overdue connection. 

Gee, what was it 4 year and 10 months? 

Please God his favour and mercy rest on us right from the start and ... we meet again very soon.  (*smile)  And, do not have all that unnecessary e-learning to do!

I just love being in your company.

Hering you laugh; Listening to your frustrated attempts to make our stay as perfect as you would want it.  But life is not perfect.  We have to sleep, eat and even energise ourselves and ... handle our own dreams. 

I still hear you advise me on so many a level.

My swearing; My people management; My career and My selfish habits?

Oh yes, I loved just driving around with you. 

As I type and reflect over the different trips we made it makes me so sad. 

I loved sitting there next to you and hering you manoeuvre the car; park and bounce back with excitement. 

It reminded me so much of us working together. 

I can still remember you asking me if I liked your car?

“Not bad hey, and still a 6 cylinder?”

Gee, it has been so cool.  I tried to go to bed but my mind was so full of brilliant and colourful thoughts.  Thoughts and images that only a twinship from the Living God can harbour. 

And, yes, I did sob bitterly about leaving.  I told Sandy I had better get up and drop you all a line?  (*smile)  How would you know if I did not tell you all?

Oh yes, I so loved our morning walks.

We walked off in a mature way like we used to train for Comrades.  Sure, we are older and our legs and muscles do not carry us like young men.  (*smile)  But we were game and ready for those two or three laps. 

What was it 18 minutes for each lap and ... why not 1 hour?  I could do it again and again and ... still be topped up with your fellowship. 

Do you remember our early morning coffees?

Some at home and some at the Dunkin Donut?  (*smile)  Do you remember, my first ever omelette in a rap? 

Oh yes, All our meals and your generosity.

You have tried so hard with so little resources to make this such a memorable trip. 

I leave very touched and very topped up.  I leave very broken and very proud that you are my very special brother, Stirling. 

And, I know I got on your nerves.

Yes, I know I am a hand full.  I know my disability has made things tougher.  I know I would have so loved to have been housed just down the road.  But I leave to go back to Ireland and continue the plan God started with me in 2007.  (*smile)  Gee, how I wish it were so different?  How I pray his mercy and his favour will dwell richly on both of us and ... we reunite very soon. 

Do you know Stirling next Saturday night I will be in The Yellow House in Cobh. 

I will have my guide dog, Zagger to hold and to love. 

Oh yes, I have someone in a four footed twinship who will for a short while take your place. 

Yes, I have Sandy who will try assist me diminish the huge heart ache I have with our separation. 

No doubt, Sandy will faithfully hold me; accommodate all my wishes ... but you and I know we are twins on two very different journeys. 

Twins who will obey God’s instruction and calling and ... go humbly on our way.  Doing, professing and declaring his word and his life in our homes and our work. 

I want to thank you for a wonderful time.

I want to praise you for what you have achieved.  (*smile)  Working in a teamship with Diana Rowena and it was so awesome to see her so well and happy. 

I want to praise you and Diana Rowena for the way you have handle the adversity you both had and in days gone by.  The pain, the loss and the ... embarrassment. 

I pray 2 Joel 23-25 in and over your lives. 

·         May you find that job career that rewards you.

·          May you be able to enjoy your family and encourage your Grand Children by being a superb role model.

·          May your personal health blossom and not hold you back.

Oh yes, I so enjoyed being at Curtis and Bernadette’s house.

Seeing those MMA athletes handle their fight.  (*smile0  In a strange way they encouraged me to continue my fight and of course the pain of our pending separation. 

Oh yes, I look forward to being in the pews at Free Chapel and ... getting God’s instruction.  The balm of Gilliad be doubly anointed over us and our families.

Let us both fight like MMA warriors to connect soon. 

As I said I can still feel your caring hug and your loving hand shake from little more than a week ago? 

I won’t say ‘Good Bye’ ... but ‘Fare well’ and ... God’s richest blessing over your life. 

Stirling, You will always be my special brother who I love and treasure all the days of my life.

I invite you and Diana Rowena to The Yellow House and .. may you soon feel my hospitality at Cork airport?  (*smile)  What a brilliant and exciting thought!

All my love and devoted affection.

Bobo

And then my dads' response to his brother also dated February 5th 2012 at 12:42pm

Hi Hagarth,
Firstly thank you for this beautiful email. I will treasure it with all the other wonderful memories of this amazingly busy time we have had together. The beginning of 2012 will always be a date to remember.

I must tell you, you still unwittingly motivate and inspire all those around you. I am awe struck by you ability to press on with your blindness and your very exacting and demanding job at the same time. It so hurt me to see you struggling through those 40 hours of McAfee tutorials that you and Sandy worked through. It was brutal. It so reminded me of your early days of you, being blind and learning braille. Gee you have come along way. Graham and Eileen would be so proud of you. I am also very amazed at Sandy. As a partner she is really so dedicated and a God send. I am so encouraged by how our God works. It is incredible who he puts in our path to help us on our journey called " life ". It is not the rich or the most able who help, who quickly jump in or step forward to help. It is only those with a big heart who do. She assists and partners you with every fiber of her being.

When I was with you at Kurtis house watching MMA. Di text me and asked me how I feel about saying goodbye? I must tell you I am a little uneasy as I don't know the future or where or when we will meet again. However I am just going to ask the Lord for strength and like you dive into work as a big distraction.

I want to thank you for all your love and high praise. I don't deserve it. But I have always felt closely connected and thank you for all your love and mentoring. I would not have grown as an individual without you pushing and exhorting. I think as a person you have endured much pain and I love the way you, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and fight on. Know I love you and thank you for all the assistance you have given me. I ask you please to keep walking with the King. Jesus is our only hope and in Him lies our future too! Know that I will be praying for you and your house hold. I ask you to do the same. I too can't say goodbye. So know I will wish you much joy, happiness real prosperity and health and until we meet again. I love you my brother!

Please thank Sandy and I wish you both much joy and happiness. May all your dreams and goals come true. May your problems evaporated like mist on a hot Summer's day. Be strong remain built up in the Lord and go reach for the highest Star. I know you still have much to achieve and many to encourage and inspire.
All my love and affection.