Monday, June 01, 2015
Today I am grateful for nature’s families. While sitting in some obscure hotel parking lot near the airport, waiting to hear that our friend had gotten his bags and was ready to be picked up, we watched a family of geese.
Sometimes the mom led the flock, sometimes the dad. When a kid got too full of himself and branched out too far, one of the parents hustled him back into the flock. If one kid pecked at another, a parent shoved in between and scolded. When they traveled anywhere the dad was in front, actually looking both ways to cross the street, honking it was safe. Mom poked and shoved from behind to keep everyone in line.
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As they neared my car, with me hanging out the window with the camera, dad got pissed and started to holler at me and charge the car until I had to close the window before getting attacked. No fear in that dad. None. He felt his family was threatened and I got the “back off” message. When I shut the window he got over it quickly, then he hustled them on in another direction.
Stay together. Let either parent handle certain things, based on strengths and abilities. Give everyone a chance to lead. Discipline without apology. Don’t let strangers dictate too, or get close enough to harm. If someone gets angry, drop it quickly. Get over yourself and move on. Change directions. No grudges. Humans could learn a lot from watching nature’s families. I sure did.
