Geese! And what we can learn from them

We saw the first big flocks moving over earlier this week, and they were really active yesterday.

I have been in deep with the projects I'm working on lately -- encouraging a local food economy, revitalizing rural communities -- and I've been watching all the drama on health care reform, so it's perhaps not odd that as I watched the geese, I realized they have a lot to teach us about how to get big things done. They, after all, travel thousands of miles from their southern wintering grounds to their northern nests each spring -- and then fly back the same thousands of miles in the fall.

Here are a few lessons from the honkers:

1. Don't be afraid to start moving toward a goal that you cannot yet see, that in fact seems impossible from where you stand. Keep moving toward the goal, and soon enough the impossible can be accomplished (even twice a year).
2. When the goal is a formidable one, find strength in numbers. And don't just look for your expected allies -- if someone is traveling in the same direction, even if they are not a bird of your feather, you will both do better if you travel together.
3. One voice in the wilderness may sound lonely, but if it's persuasive, soon enough others will join in, and pretty soon you'll be making a racket that can't be ignored.
4. Take the lead of your group when you are called to do so -- but also know when it's time to fly back to the tail end of the V and recharge for a while. If the leader is tired, the whole group will move more slowly.
5. Focus on the end goal, yes -- but don't be so focused that you don't appreciate the journey. If the sun is shining and the breeze is just right, don't be afraid to take a little time to circle and soar.
   

And, on a lighter note, here's a little video of our bird-watching expedition on Thursday. The kids were trying really hard to be quiet, so I could record how loud the birds are, but that's not all that easy to do, apparently!