Many of us tend to have tunnel vision. We only see what is right in front of us, and we may miss the bigger picture if we aren't careful.

One woman named Luanne realized this all too well when she lost her corporate job. Suddenly, she had more time on her hands, and she discovered there was an entire world outside that was just waiting to be explored.

Photos: YouTube / GoBeats Animals

One of the parts of the world was Ms. Bonita. She is a California ground squirrel, and she is unique on several different levels.

They met Ms. Bonita in 2012 when they first moved into the house. She would sit on a fence and stare in to watch Luanne, and she admitted that she felt judged by the squirrel.

Discovering A New World Outside

After losing her job, however, she began to pay attention to Ms. Bonita, and their relationship blossomed. The squirrel allowed her to get close and showed her just how gentle a wild animal could be.

Although California ground squirrels only typically live two or three years, Ms. Bonita has been around for at least 11 years. During that time, she has mothered many young squirrels, thanks to the baby daddy, Sledge.

Photos: YouTube / GoBeats Animals

California ground squirrels will chase off the father after the young kit is born. Sledge seems to have special permissions though, because Ms. Bonita lets him hang around from year to year.

Over the years, the bond between Luanne and Ms. Bonita has grown. The squirrel will eat right out of her hand, and she will even sit and let Luanne pick ticks off of her skin.

A Beautiful Hello

When they say hello in the morning, Ms. Bonita will rub her face as a greeting. Luanne feels it's like prepping herself for visitors and takes it as a warm hello.

Luanne doesn't recommend feeding wildlife, but she will feed Ms. Bonita. They have formed a special bond over the years, and she knows that ground squirrels always stay very close to their homes, so there is not any danger of her running off to the neighbor's house for food and getting injured or frightening someone.

Photos: YouTube / GoBeats Animals

Losing her job may have been stressful at first, but Luanne has discovered an entirely new world that is right there for the taking. She tells us that the more you sit still and watch, the deeper you can go into that world.

You can see more about Ms. Bonita and their special relationship in this video:

https://youtu.be/cXKvsp-xrCk