My Twin Sister/Friend

Let me introduce you to my friend and my twin sister, Nthabiseng Kabeli, also known as Nthaby. We met way back in high school. She was my senior, so when I was in Form A, she was in Form C. We did not have any relationship back then, we just knew each other, probably because I also dated her brother. That did not last long, we all know how high school relationships are. We met again in 2004, in the first year at National Health Training College, where she was a Student Nurse while I was studying Biomedical Science. Like in high school, we were not friends, and three years down, I left college, and she was still there, studying Ophthalmology.

Our friendship began in 2011, when I was transferred from Mokhotlong Hospital to Mohaleshoek  Hospital. I needed a house to rent, made inquiries to a few friends, and finally, they got hold of Nthaby. She agreed that she would collect the key from the landlord, and I could wake her up when I finally arrived.

Mohaleshoek became home away from home because of her. I was introduced to all places of interest and people. Back then, I didn’t have a car so she would pick me up every morning while going to work and pick me up from work to our residence. On weekends, going to parties and traveling was fun. We learned that we had a lot in common. Though she was born a few years before, we shared the same birth month, October. We are both Libras, and we are both very independent to the core.

One of our friendship customs was to celebrate our birthdays in style and that's what we did. Traveling was also what we enjoyed most, and we had our fair share of traveling. We went to the Bush Fire Festival in Eswatini, Kasane in Botswana, Victoria Falls and Cape Town, just to mention a few interesting places.

While I am a bit reserved at times, the twin sister is nothing like me, she is a bubbly person, and she knows almost half the population in Lesotho. Some of the people I know today are because of her. One of the best things about her was her ambition. We learned years ago that nurses were actually relocating to the United Kingdom. The process on its own is tiring and it needs someone to be both financially stable and patient. My twin took a leap of faith and went through the whole process and finally, there were results. She left Lesotho to pursue her career in the United Kingdom. If I am beinghonest, I would tell you it was a bitter pill to swallow but I did wish her the best. Although many things will never be the same, I hope what’s to come will be even better.

When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that they are those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in our hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares. To me, Nthaby will always be that friend.

One dream we share is that one day maybe it will be my turn to leave Lesotho and we can be together again. But until then, I  will be studying and if any opportunity appears, I will grab it and relocate to be near my dear twin sister.