I came across an article Prince Harry wrote for one of the newspapers which resonated greatly. From an early age, I was cast into a role I didn't ask for, before I even had a chance to find myself. I was the angry twin, the difficult one; the one with the hidden disability that changed my ability to have a normal connection, a normal life, in normal relationships. And as a twin, I was never just me – I was always part of a pair, compared, contrasted, and labelled – an angry child with a physical, mental and emotional disability I knew nothing about.
My Anger was 'my shadow'
The anger they saw became my shadow, following me everywhere. Every frustration, Every emotional outburst, every struggle was proof to others that I was exactly who they thought I was. No matter how hard I tried, it was impossible to escape the labels. It was as if my story had been written for me, and I was stuck playing a part I never asked, or wanted.
The Labels Still Follows Me
Even to this day, and even though I have changed, through my writing, my website, my books, I am still the other half of a twin – and the labels still follow me. I am still seen through the lens of who they decided I was all those years ago. But I have learned to see myself differently, and that’s what matters. Like Prince Harry, I have found my place in the world, a place where I don’t need to fight the narrative others created for me. I can live with who I am—with me.
