Meditation in Eastertide ~ Wednesday, Week 4 '24: To Be A Silly Goose

April 24, 2024 ~ Wednesday, Week 4 

To Be A Silly Goose

Why do we call a goose silly?

      Oh, I know we can tease children by calling them a silly goose in fun. And sure, geese are comically ungainly in their gait on the ground and seriously noisy in their conversations. I had to wait on the street one day while two were having a raucous discussion across the white line and I was trying to pull into a driveway. I beeped and they stopped, looked at me, and promptly went right back. After a time, I very slowly let the car drift forward and they finally, unhappily, moved but never stopped their "discussion!"  

      In a morning that is sunny and clear I love to watch as they are winging across the sky honking encouragement to each other. The V-formation is beautiful in its symmetry and its purpose. Instinctive, normal, practical. Geese travel together and when one can't go or falls from the formation because of illness or injury, two stay behind to help, to care, to be there until the downed bird can fly again or dies. Then the trio or pair join another passing formation. 

      Each leader leads for a time, flying just slightly above the others to increase lift and reduce the effort of the flock. Then that leader moves to the back of the formation and another leads for a time and then moves to the back of the formation, and so on until the destination is reached. Everyone takes a turn to lead. Geese are also monogamous and mate for life. If their partner dies they mourn and many never take another mate.

      With geese, everyone works together for the good of the entire flock. Hmmm, if only Humans would be better at that. Not so silly after all. 

      With all that in mind I'm happy to be a silly goose in God's flock!

      Dear Lord, help me to be a reliable part of the flock I'm in, taking my turns to lead and to fall back. Give me extra grace to be thankful for those who stop to care for me and to be even more willing to stay on the ground to help another knowing that I'm able to join another passing flock without any resistance to my presence. Geese make me look silly ~ in formation and leadership they are a model of Your vision for the rest of us. Of course like the rest of us they can be unruly, occasionally noisy, and very messy! Yet my prayer is for the awareness of the lessons of interconnectedness and interdependence that You provide for us to see, understand, and reflect in each and every part of Your Creation.  amen.

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