"I know diabetes shouldn't be a connection, but it is," M. said as I was telling her about my lunch with S. today.

"But it really is," I said. I knew what she meant. That we should all have better things to be connected by than health issues. But it is what it is.

"You know, whenever I meet someone who rides horses we have that instant connection, even if there's nothing else there's that," she said.

"Yes, exactly," I said, nodding.

I was standing at the entrance to her cube, where I often stand to chit chat with her, discussing how I met S. and how our lunch went.

"We talked a little about diabetes, but... well, it certainly wasn't the focus of our conversation," I said.

In fact, I don't know that diabetes came up until after quite a bit of conversation, which I felt was actually appropriate since we were two friends with myriad connections; diabetes just happens to be one of them.

The converation was easy and fluid and we had much to discuss: how we both wound up in Phoenix, where our parents are, our jobs (we're in the same field!), my kids (she's single and childless), and a little about when we were diagnosed (her brother is also type 1) and our treatment methods -- among other things. I looked at my watch after an hour and a half knowing that I needed to get back to work, but I think we could have easily talked for hours.

It's always interesting to me the things that bring people together and seal a friendship. Both being editors and writers would certainly give us that connection, but there's something so much more personal about sharing the same health issue. I think that connection is much deeper.