Honk! Honk!

That phrase has been included in quite a few of the emails that I have received over the past week. It is in response to last week’s Pep Letter.

Since there are some visitors who do not get The Pep Letter, I thought I’d post that article here on the blog.  I figure in doing that you would then understand what all the honking is about.

So…

Let The Honking Begin!

Perhaps you have heard the sound of a flock of geese honking as they fly by overhead.  But do you know why they honk?  After reading this article you may be encouraged to do a little honking of your own.

Geese are really magnificent birds.  It is always an awesome sight to look up into a blue sky and see them flying in their familiar “V” formation.  This formation is with purpose and it serves them very well.  Because of the aerodynamics involved, it reduces the energy it takes for them to fly by as much as 50%.

It has been calculated, by those who study geese, that by flying together in that “V” formation, it can add as much as 71% greater flying range than if the birds were flying solo.  If you think about it, this is also true for people who decide to work together with others who share a common goal or destination.

But what is all that honking about?  Is that simply their way of singing as they enjoy their flight?  Are those the sounds of fatigue?

Believe it or not, science has discovered that all that honking in formation by geese serves to encourage those at the front to keep up their pace.  In fact the lead goose is the one who sets the pace and really determines the speed the rest of the flock will travel.  And when the lead goose gets tired, he simply rotates back into the formation while another goose takes the point position.

I think it is remarkable that they honk to encourage those at the front to keep up the pace.  Flying great distances, geese work hard flapping those big wings so that they can get to where they are going.  It is not effortless; it is hard work.

Humans could learn some great lessons from the way God designed the geese to succeed at what they are doing.  Perhaps the most obvious is to not try to do it all by yourself.  Flying together with those who share the same common goals and destinations that we do, helps all involved in arriving at the desired destination.

But what about “honking” for each other?  Do you need any encouragement these days?  Do you think someone else could use a little encouragement as well?

We can certainly utilize the concept and principle.  We can encourage others in our own formations.  There are those in our family, those we work with, and those in other interests that we have, who could all use a little “honking.”

The Bible talks about edifying others, building them up instead of tearing them down.  The days that we are living in are very challenging.  As a result, people need to be encouraged, edified, and built up.

We all know how it feels when someone is critical and looks for every fault we have.  But, we also know what it feels like when someone believes in us and encourages us.  And, while there may be a lot of complaining going on these days, we can choose to be one setting the example of encouragement.  If we do that, it will catch on, and others will fly right there with us, honking words of encouragement.

Did you know that when one goose gets sick or wounded and leaves the formation, two other geese follow it down and stay with that injured goose to protect it? They actually stay right there with that goose until it is able to fly again, or, until it dies.  Isn’t that a great lesson of helping and standing by each other during difficult times?

So the next time you see, or hear, a flock of geese passing by, stop for a minute and watch.  Think about the way the Creator designed these winged creatures to enjoy their lives to the fullest.  And, remember, we could learn some valuable lessons from these birds. Let’s encourage each other! Let the honking begin.

Mike Verdicchio
September 2010

By the way, something I didn’t put into this article is the fact that geese mate for life.  So, in that sense, I would encourage you to honk at your husband or wife!