Through Experiences We Gain Knowledge

Being a quadruplet is both rewarding and challenging. Most people don’t have a full understanding of the connection multiples share. When one does not experience something first hand like being a parent of or being a quadruplet or sibling of a quadruplet, they have difficulty comprehending. My situation is particularly unique because not only am I a quadruplet, but an identical twin as well. Some perceptions of being a multiple is of fascination. They wonder how we relate, communicate and grow. My first year of college has been the first time in 18 years that my siblings and I have been separated; hence causing separation anxiety. I have had to learn to become more independent without the support of my siblings daily. Our relationships have since grown stronger and as I continue to mature, we now have built a closer unit. I now appreciate the time I get to spend with them during school breaks.

Growing up as a quadruplet, society can be judgmental, often times people who saw us were in awe of the four us. Many times’ judgment was made about my family by outsiders as it seemed as if we were considered to be an inconvenience. I can remember specific times people saying to my Mother, “How do you afford to feed all those mouths; I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes what a headache.” I have lived in a comfortable environment for past 18 years surrounded by my siblings, for the first time I had found myself feeling lost and out of place. My fears of them not being with me were realized the first night of living in my dorm room.

As I laid in my bed that night, I was afraid of the unknown and failure. I relate this experience to Octavia Butler’s “Bloodchild,” Gan was shown diagram of birth; however, he suddenly became afraid when he witnessed a birth gone wrong because he was going to eventually experience it. Gan gained a new perspective, causing him to question his expected future of being a host for T’Gatoi. Could he overcome his fear; he knew he had to do this to protect his sister. As I knew I had to experience college on my own and forge my own independence as well as for my siblings.

Gan experiences loneliness and fear, and being a quadruplet is similar as referenced in the afterword of the book, “an isolated colony of humans being on an inhabited, extra solar world.” Being a quadruplet or a child of four, you are never alone, there is always someone to play with, eat and sleep with. We are largely living in our own world. It is fun at times, but difficult too. We share experiences and bond, like no other. Now as I lay here it was silent, no one to banter, eat and experience my college life with. Silence was now my new family. I was adapting to my own new solo world. Classes kept my mind busy, but the thought of my siblings not being with me always stayed in preconscious mind.

As the days went by I was having a better understanding of my new “inhabited solar world” like Gan; there were other species here that had the same thoughts I was having. I realized the purpose of this experience being college was for me to become independent and get an education. As time went by I gained knowledge to my new environment and adapted to my new life. Gan had to make a decision that would affect the rest of his life after absorbing information that was unsettling to his future. Similarly, coming to Geneseo was an unsettling decision I made knowing I would be separated from my siblings. Our experiences are similar because both Gan from Bloodchild and my self gained knowledge about ourselves the world’s in which we live.

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