Next fall when you see geese
heading
south for the winter, flying along in a V formation, 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 a V
formation the whole flock adds at least 71% 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 trying 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 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 demanding jobs ... with people or with geese flying
south.
Geese honk from behind to
encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
What do we say when we honk
from behind?
Finally ... and this is
important ... when a
goose gets sick or is wounded by gunshots, and falls out of formation,
two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend
help and protection. 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.
