Photos compliments of Frank at www.happyotter.com |
Honk! Honk! The next time you hear this sound, look skyward. No it’s probably not a flying jalopy, but rather a flock of migrating Snow Geese.
Every spring they make the perilous trek from the southern wetlands back to the arctic tundra. They are a totem for wandering and restless souls that are driven to journey long distances seeking adventure, warmth or both. Geese have internal GPS’s, and teach us that with the right preparation, timing and navigational savvy we can go anywhere we want in life. It takes courage to leave sometimes; it takes courage to stay. Knowing when it is best to fly away or nestle down is the key to success in relationships, work and all survival.
The Snow Goose also symbolize love, family, parenthood and commitment, as they mate for life and stay together as a family for at least the first year of a gosling’s life, even though within 24 hours newborns can swim on their own. Who hasn’t been overtaken by sentimentality when a mother goose stops traffic to cross the road with half a dozen waddling kids in tow? They teach us how to stick together and honor the group, even as we grow into individuals with minds of our own.
(Preview of article that will appear in the Paradise Found Metaphysical Newsletter May 1, 2013 by Amy Beth Katz.)