Canadian Geese Flying South and What We Learn From Them

There are certain lessons in life that we can learn from mother nature.  Last week I was driving home from the Coxsockie Prison, and I saw these geese flying south. I just ponder there beauty and how they fly in formation which brought me to these thoughts:

Fact:  As each bird flaps its wings, it creates “uplift” for the bird immediately following.  By flying in “V” formation, the whole flock has at least 75% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. 

Lesson:  People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going more quickly and easily because they are traveling on the thrust of one another. 

Fact: When a goose flies out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone.  It quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front of it.

Lesson:  If we have as much commonsense as a goose, we stay in formation with those headed where we want to go. We are willing to accept their help and give our help to others.  It is harder to do something alone rather than together.

Fact: When the goose gets tired, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point direction.

Lesson:  It is sensible to take turns doing the hard and demanding tasks and sharing leadership.  As with geese, people are interdependent on each other’s skills, capabilities and unique arrangement of gifts, talents and resources.

Fact:  The geese flying in formation honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

Lesson:  In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater.  The power of encouragement is the quality of honking we seek.  We need to make sure our honking is encouraging, not discouraging.

Fact:  When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese will drop out of formation with that goose and follow it down to lend help and protection.  They stay with the fallen goose until it either dies or is able to fly again.  Then, they launch out on their own or join another formation to catch up with their flock. 

Lesson:  If we have the sense of a goose, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as in good times. 

Yes, we can learn a lot from mother nature, and when we do we too will learn a little bit more about ourselves.