The fireworks launched into the sky. The sky shifted from the dark black of night to a bright red hue. Again another BOOM! CRACK! BANG! From red, to green, to blue, to white! So many colors and flashes filled the night.
"WOOOWHOO!!!" The audience screamed louder than the music that played in the background. A blue laser flashed from one person to another. Glow sticks went flying here and there. People sat everywhere: Couples on benches, families on blankets, little children running around, and all the while there were two flocks of geese. Two families lost amidst the festivities that had occupied their home.
"AHRINK! AHRINK!" the female leader of the Ariel Flock, Robyn, sought to communicate the impending danger to the leader of the Found Flock, Lou. She noticed that some of these humans were getting near the babies. "AHONK!" her mate, Mal, shouted at the young humans walking towards their baby. All at once the Ariel Flock rushed down the hill for safety only to be met by more humans. They slowed down and hesitantly began walking towards their pond. Then a few of the younger geese started to get left behind. As soon as Robyn noticed this she directed the flock to turn back and round up the three goslings. "AHRINK!" No one gets left behind from the flock. She instructed just as the Found Flock, led by Lou and her mate Sal, rushed down the hill after them. Once the two groups were together again their bravery began to rise. They felt more certain that they could find shelter in their land. They could bring their goslings to safety.
"HIYA!" A short human with menacing glow sticks in his hands karate-chopped at the two flocks! "AHONK! AHONK!" Mal and Sal extend their necks outward and waved their head and neck back and forth in the air. They were ready to attack this child creature if need be. Lou and Robyn rushed to be near their goslings. The rest of the family crowded close together, extending their necks ready to attack if Mal and Sal set the alarm. The child took another step closer, Mal hissed, the child laughed. Danger was all around them. Then right as the child was about to get too close and right before Mal and Sal attack...
BOOM! BANG! CRACK! The child's attention was diverted to the bright red, white, and blue up in the sky. The flocks immediately darted away from this child once again in search of where they could rest.
What was a fun and festive fourth of July for many humans was in fact a home invasion and disturbance to the Canadian Geese who live there day in and day out during the summer months.
I witnessed these encounters this past Fourth of July and it inspired me to know the story of these Geese. To see how they all stuck together and looked after one another was an inspiration that the Church could really learn from. They didn't let one goose or gosling from their flock get lost. They stuck together. I hope to write more on Canadian Geese and their interactions with Humans in the future. For now these are just my reflections from last evening.
