Doppelganger

What a funny sounding word!  Do you know what it means?  Supposedly, we all have one.

Doppelganger is  a German word that means "double walker"   The folklore is that every person has a spirit or apparition that is their double.  A doppelganger refers to a ghostly counterpart of a living person, who may haunt that person.  It is believed that if you see your doppelganger, it is an omen of your death.

In Carl Sandburg's biography of Abraham Lincoln, he tells about a time when Lincoln told his wife that he saw two faces of himself in a mirror  just hours after he received notice that he had been elected president, one face was deathly pale. His wife believed this to mean he would be elected to a second term but would not survive.

Over time the meaning of the word has evolved in cultures around the world. In some cultures it is believed that the doppelganger is a person's unknown evil counterpart who makes appearances to friends and family members and represents a sign of danger or illness.

Others believe that it is look-alike, a second living or deceased individual who shares a strong resemblance. The Internet is filled with pictures of people  and their celebrity look-alike.   Have you ever met or seen someone who is your look-alike?

If you want to have some fun with this word, check out this website.  You can upload a picture of yourself and it will search for the person who looks just like  you. http://www.findmydoppelganger.com