Next time when you see geese heading South for the winter, flying along in V formation, you might consider the wisdom of their ways:
As each bird flaps its wing, it creates an uplift for the bird immediately following. By flying in the V shape, they achieve 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 quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird in front.
* If we had their wisdom, we will stay in formation with those who are headed the same way as we are.
When the head goose gets tired, it rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.
* Take turns with the demanding jobs.
Geese honk from behind to encourage those upfront to keep up their speed.
Finally, when a goose gets sick or is wounded and falls our of formation, two other geese fall out with that goose and follow it down to lend it help and protection. They stay with the fallen goose until it is able to fly, or until it dies. Only then do they launch out on their own, or with another formation, to catch up with their group.
* Consider what it might be like if we truly stood by each other like geese do.
Prakash Beth 