Among Friends

[Vivian]

Several years ago, my husband and I stayed at a lovely hotel in the French countryside. Attached to the hotel was a marvelous restaurant. On the first night of our stay, when we went to dinner at their restaurant, we were greeted by our waiter, whose resemblance to our grandson was almost frightening. We showed him a photo of our grandson and he was shocked. Later we showed the photo to other guests and hotel staff. Everyone was amazed at the resemblance. A couple of days later, when I started calling Charly my French grandson, I happened to ask him when his birthday was. He said "November 5." My knees went weak. That is my grandson's birthday too. Now I send Charly birthday greetings every November 5 and sign it, "Ta grandmère américaine." Your American grandmother.

[house_cat]

Is this for real?  I know it's not my place to doubt anyone's integrity or intentions, but this sounds like a work of fiction.

[Vivian]

I can't speak for the O/P but my French grandson story is true. My life is filled with coincidences. My daughter married a man with our last name (no relation). They had two children, both both on November 5, three years apart (as well as my French grandson's birthday). My other daughter gave birth to her daughter on her birthday, March 3. My first two dogs were born ten years apart, on August 13. My two best friends lost a parent on the same day my father died, March 27. In the case of one of my friends, her mother and my father died on the very same day. Each of us wondered why we couldn't find the other on that sad day. Coincidences do happen.

[nrm]

Yes. My collage roommate - freshmen year.

[emmysmom]

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@adoreqvc wrote:

I have and this is my personal entailed experience of that entire event...

They say we have seven twins on Earth, and I was so lucky to have met one of mine...

I recall when I first became engaged to my beloved deceased husband, we were walking in a park which was fairly crowded.

The scent of flowers in bloom was very fragrant, and it was a gorgeous warm Summer day. A perfect day to stroll or sit on a park bench, and enjoy each other.

I recall my husband to be kissed me, winked at me, with that special twinkle in his eyes, and whispered "Stay put pretty lady, I'll be right back",  as he walked towards the lavatory.

I remember I was smiling and filled with joy silently thinking how lucky I was to have been blessed to be engaged to such a loving kind man. 

That wink and twinkle in his big deep blue eyes along with his big warm smile always sent shivers down my spine.

I was a very happy engaged young woman thinking life was just as perfect as it could be......I had no idea of what was yet to come,  which would change my life in a very exciting way.  

While lost in private thoughts I stood up from the park bench to retrieve a book I had dropped, when without warning I suddenly felt someone sweep me into their arms, and twirl me round and round, showering kisses all over my face, crying and yelling the name "Maria, Maria, Maria".

When I looked down I looked into the same color of eyes my Fiance had, except these big deep blue beautiful expressive eyes were not twinkling, they were were filled with deep emotion and tears.

This stranger also a thick wavy head of gorgeous blond hair, as well as a strikingly handsome face, same as my Fiance. The stranger twirling me was also immaculately well dressed. 

I was at a total loss for words, but I did not feel threatened or frightened at all.

I felt concerned and anxious, because I could see this very handsome stranger was so emotionally upset and crying.

Even through his tears he still smiled and stared at me with eyes filled with shock, surprise, admiration and deep love.

He was jabbering away speaking quickly in Spanish, of which I could not understand a word, other than the name he kept repeating which was Maria.

My husband to be came back pretty fast and helped me out of the stranger's arms. My Fiance was very concerned, and a small crowd had stopped and were observing. 

The emotional man looked at us both in shock and awe and kept repeating the name Maria. 

Finally he pulled out his wallet and showed us what we believe was my twin Sister on this earth.  

We looked at the photograph, and it was as though I had time traveled into another dimension in time, and was staring at the reflection of my own doppelganger.

His Maria was the exact spitting image of me.

Same face, same expressive happy eyes staring back at me, same dimples on each cheek evident when she smiled, same hair color and hair style.....Same everything. 

We were all amazed. 

The man was so shaken and kept repeating the name Maria, and speaking in Spanish pointing at the photo of his Maria, and then pointing at me, again and again.

Tears still streamed from his eyes, as he showed us more photographs from his wallet of his Maria by herself and both of them as a couple.

One photograph was taken at an event, and they were surrounded by people smiling as they were cutting a cake.   

"Evidently from what we could gather he touched my diamond engagement ring, and touched his finger showing his ring, and pointed at that photograph, so we understood that we had a few more things in common, and one of them was we had all become engaged.

We spent the afternoon in the park and through sign language and written paper and pen my Fiance wrote down to come to the park again the next day, with cameras. (My Fiance always carried a little note pad and pen, and drew animations quite well).

My Fiance also said 1 word in Spanish manyana which means tomorrow. He showed 1 finger for 1 pm on his watch, and pointed to the park surroundings and the bench where we had been sitting.... and the man shook his head yes, pointed to his watch at 1 pm, and said si in Spanish. 

That night we discussed what happened and my future husband and I, as well as our parents and families all agreed it was a sign and blessing to have met that man, to find out I had an identical twin alive, and well living in Spain.

The next day we all returned to the park bench at 1 pm with cameras in hand, and took photographs so we could have remembrance pictures.

Afterwards we took him to a Latin Restaurant nearby, and we ate together, and through an interpreter we were able to share some more information.

That day we learned a lot about my identical twin Maria...

After we married they both came for a visit to the States, and by coincidence when we met at the Airport and picked them up, we looked at each other in awe, because my doppelganger twin and I were exactly 5 months pregnant, which btw was never discussed. We immediately all hugged and smiled at each other, and felt right at home.

Both Carlo and Maria had already taken English classes back home, so it had become a bit easier to converse.

Before they left to go home, we enjoyed taking them out to dinners, having BBQ's at our home, and also sightseeing. 

Our families loved them both, and were thrilled that we all met.

People also though we were twin Sisters, and would stop and talk with us both here, and when we visited them.

Talk about weird we gave birth on the same day, at the same time, and both had little girls, and strangely enough we both named our daughters the same name, although none of those events were ever discussed by any of us before they occurred.

I still keep in touch with them, and during one of our trips to Spain, they met Phillip my current husband.

Their daughter is a Mother, and has 2 children....a boy and a girl.

Carlo and Maria also have 2 sons which are the spitting image of their Father.

Phillip said it was like looking in the mirror, and seeing me, when he met Maria and Carlo for the first time.......and yes we still look like twin Sisters.

They say we have 7 people who walk the Earth and are the spitting image of us.....I have been so blessed to have met mine, and wonder about the other 6 and where they are, and how their lives are turning out.

Perhaps some day I will meet more of my doppelganger twins during our earthly travels.....who knows.....I certainly hope so!

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Wow! What a beautiful story..thanks for sharing!!!!!!!!!!!

[emmysmom]

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@Vivian Florimond wrote:

Several years ago, my husband and I stayed at a lovely hotel in the French countryside. Attached to the hotel was a marvelous restaurant. On the first night of our stay, when we went to dinner at their restaurant, we were greeted by our waiter, whose resemblance to our grandson was almost frightening. We showed him a photo of our grandson and he was shocked. Later we showed the photo to other guests and hotel staff. Everyone was amazed at the resemblance. A couple of days later, when I started calling Charly my French grandson, I happened to ask him when his birthday was. He said "November 5." My knees went weak. That is my grandson's birthday too. Now I send Charly birthday greetings every November 5 and sign it, "Ta grandmère américaine." Your American grandmother.

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OMG...love this story too...what are the odds???? Tres magnifique! Learning french again online, its the most romantic language!!!!!!!!

[AuntG]

That is such a beautiful story. Plus the fact that you had so much more than looks in common, like giving birth to daughters on the same day. I wish an author like Debbie Macomber would read your story and include it in one of her books. She has a new series about a lady who runs a bed and breakfast. Your story would be great in a setting like that because the strangers could meet there.

[fourpaws56]

Yes,it was so weird!

[Lilysmom]

Apparently I have one at our local hospital.  Every time I go there for a procedure or to visit someone, I am asked if I work there, am told that I look so familiar, etc.  It has happened many times.  The first few times, I just shrugged it off but it has happened so many times there must be something to it.  LM