A Testament to Their Distinctive Natures

My children are...very different from one another.

This should come as a surprise to no one, I suppose, and yet...

And yet, still, somehow, I find it surprising. Which is ridiculous, really. Even if they had both been born to me, the only logical thing to expect would be that they would not behave similarly. Other parents tell me this all the time - no two siblings are truly the same. Certainly this is true of Gabriel and Lana.

I was looking at a book of Chinese Zodiac signs on Saturday. (I'm going somewhere with this, just, bear with me.) (For what it's worth, I *AM* aware that Lana is not Chinese. Well, actually, I'm reasonably certain that her birth father probably WAS Chinese, based on her appearance, but, that's not why I bring up the Chinese Zodiac. I bring it up because it is used in Vietnam as well.)

Anyway, Lana was born in the year of the Horse. (Specifically, 2002 was a Water Horse year.) According to the book I was reading, the motto of those born in a year of the Horse is "I run free", and I cannot think of any motto more appropriate for Lana. She requires a lot of room to gallop, symbolically speaking. It is her nature. I am learning to accept this, but, it's all new to me.

Gabriel is a cautious child. He is contemplative. Lana is fearless. They are dark and light, yin and yang.

As I watched them swimming the other day, they set up a perfect visual explanation of their innate differences that I just have to share.

The each stood at the edge of the pool, with their backs to the water. They held hands and called out to me, "mommy, watch us do the 'plunge'". (Referring to the 'Nestea Plunge' wherein one falls backward into the water - they know this reference only from hearing adults refer to this activity as the Nestea Plunge, since I think Nestea retired that ad campaign decades ago.)

I turned my head to watch them. Gabriel extended his foot backwards, he dipped his toes into the water, as if to either assure himself that the water was still there, or that it was where he expected it to be. He then cautiously slipped gracefully backward into the water.

Lana on the other hand, simply raised her arms and flung herself backward without a second glance. Lana leaps without looking.

They both emerged from the water with happy giggles.

Anyone want to lay a wager on which one of them is going to give me a heart attack someday?

Gretchen