Our society teaches us to sort people into categories: male and female, haves and have-nots, sheep and goats – but I only just realised we also have dogs and geese! This realisation came when I recognised very strong dog characteristics in a person close to me, and then realised that I was, in fact, a perfect goose.

Now don’t get me wrong, I like dogs, but find it really amusing to watch our little white terrier because when she is off the lead, she must lead! When we walk her in unleashed areas she’s immediately out in front of her pack, sniffing, searching, checking that the pack is following--- If my husband and I very quietly walk at right angles away from the dog, she immediately races in a wide arc until she, once again, leads. She can’t help it; her instinct is to lead, to be the alpha dog in the pack.

How many people do you know who are hard-wired to lead as soon as you drop their leash? They much prefer to be part of a group, but then will challenge for leadership of whatever group they join because they just can’t help themselves. Their internal mechanism can only feed on the satisfaction of individual power.

While I laugh whenever I recognize this power trip, especially in my little white dog, I could never fully understand it. I have never felt comfortable with only one leader; we all have unique talents and unique life experiences to share. We all have our own Truth. How could any one person ever expect to lead all the time? Dog people must miss so much in life, through needing to always lead.

Now geese people I find far easier to understand; when you have a sense of community it’s just so easy to share power to achieve goals.

Did you know that wild geese migrate in groups and fly in a V formation because as each bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the following bird? By doing this, the group can increase its flying range by more than 70% over a lone flyer!

Geese also take turns at leadership. When the lead goose tires, it drops back in the V formation and another goose flies in the lead because leadership of the group is a task to be shared. The geese who follow in formation honk to encourage their leader and to advise they are still following in formation (we humans could learn from this because leaders do need encouragement just like everyone else).

And finally, when a goose is sick or wounded and can’t keep up two geese drop out of formation to help and protect it. They stay as a triad until the injured goose either dies or flies again, when they set out in their own V of three. Now that’s what I call real community spirit.

I reckon our world needs more geese. The biggest difference between dogs and geese is their view of the journey and whether you see yourself as part of a community migration or as an individual power trip.

I also think that from now on if someone calls me a goose, I’ll thank them most sincerely.

Respectfully offered for your consideration ....