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A Sense of a Goose

Next fall, when you see geese heading
south for the winter, flying along in "V" for-
mation, you might consider what science has
discovered as to why they fly that way. As
each bird flaps its wings, it creates an uplift
for the bird immediately following. By flying
in "V" formation, the whole flock adds at
least 71 percent greater flying range than if
each bird flew on its own.
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.
When a goose falls out of formation, it
suddenly feels the drag and resistance of try-
ing to go it alone and quickly gets back into
formation to take advantage of the lifting
power of the bird in front.
If we have as much sense as a goose, we
will stay in formation with those people who
are headed the same way we are. When the
head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the
wing and another goose flies point.
It is sensible to take turns doing demand-
ing jobs, whether with people or with geese
flying south.
Geese honk from behind to
encourage those up front to keep
up their speed.
What messages do we give
when we honk from behind?
Finally-and this is important-
when a goose gets sick or is
wounded by gunshot, and falls
out of formation, two other geese
fall out with that goose and follow
it down to lend help and protec-
tion. They stay with the fallen
goose until it is able to fly or until
it dies; and only then do they
launch out on their own, or with
another formation to catch up
with their group.
If we have the sense of a
goose, we will stand by each
other like that.