12 cows for America

The cows representative of feeling. They were described as handkerchiefs to wipe away the tears of Americans after 9/11. The Massai did not lightly decide to send 12 animals to America. They sent 12 sacred animals, animals that to them represent something far more than just a cow. In America of course we see cows as food and not much else. Although the idea of a sacred cow is foreign to us, if we stop to consider what the cow means to the Massai, the gift takes on new meaning. It could be compared to a small American community getting together and donating 12 cars to be sent to families in Iraq or Afghanistan. Cars are not sacred here, but they are a large part of our lifestyle and not always easy to obtain. This was an expensive meaningful gift on the part of the Massai.