The Ties that Bind Us

An unlikely bond between two animals

I know, I know. I've been all about animals lately, but my friend Lil' Minx told me about this sweet segment on the Today show last week and I had to hunt it down. It's about Owen and Mzee and it's such a heart-warming story and a powerful message about friendship. Thanks Minx!

This story reminds me of the invisible strings that that exist between friends/soul mates. I have an amazing circle of friends--both old and new--but I'm surprisingly still very close to all the girls I went to grade school and high school with. We were called the "Posse" and even had t-shirts made up senior year. (See included pic--can you guess which one is me?) Even though most of us only see one another during the holidays, I still chat with them often and feel close to them every day. (FYI, I'm the only lesbian and the only one who's hasn't given birth.) The older I get, the more I realize how rare our intense bonds are. Most people I come across only keep in touch with one or two people from their childhood, if any. Most purposefully don't keep in touch, especially my queer brothers and sisters.

So what is it that makes us so special? I'm not sure, but what I do know is that I am fiercely protective of them and I would fly across the world if any of them were in trouble. All they'd have to do is say the word.

As Marlene Dietrich once said: "It's the friends you can call up at 4 AM that matter."

And it's the damn truth!