Flying Upward With a Flock of Geese

Growing up in Phoenix, Arizona my world was limited to saguaro cactus, rattlesnakes, and black widow spiders. I was familiar with life in the desert. They call it, The Land of the Sun. As we moved across the United States, my horizons expanded to a new vision of wild life. The concrete city life was replaced with open fields. Wild life can be easily seen from my front door. I will never forget the first time; I heard a flock of geese fly over our home. I immediately stopped everything I was doing, called the kids and ran outdoors. We sat in the front yard and watched them fly low over our heads in a V-formation. The incredible honking noise filled the atmosphere. We watched as they traded who would take the lead. It was not until some time later, that I was given this wonderful scientific analogy. C.A. Bresin

” Lessons from the Geese.”
As each goose flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the birds that follow. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew alone.
People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the thrust of one another.
When a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of flying alone. It quickly moves back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front of it.
If we have as much sense 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.
When the lead goose tires, it rotates back into formation and another goose flies to the point position.
It pays to take turns doing the hard tasks and sharing leadership. As with geese, people are interdependent on each other's skills, capabilities and unique arrangements of gifts, talents or resources.
The geese flying in formation honk to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
We need to make sure our honking is encouraging. In groups where there is encouragement, the production is much greater. The power of encouragement (to stand by one's heart or core values and encourage the heart and core of others) is the quality of honking we seek.
When a goose gets sick, wounded or shot down, two geese drop out of formation and follow it to help and protect it. They stay with it until it dies or is able to fly again. Then, they launch out with another formation or catch up with the flock.
If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong.
I still find myself mesmerized as the geese fly overhead. Those close to me have heard me say, that when I go to heaven, I imagine being taken up holding onto their wings and flying upward with a flock of geese.

Dr Robert McNeish of Baltimore wrote "Lessons from the Geese", in 1972. Dr. McNeish, was a science teacher for many years, before he wrote” Lessons from the Geese” for a sermon he delivered in his church.