UpClose & Personal - Lynda Solien-Wolfe

I was recently in Washington DC on a business trip for the massage profession and took a few hours out of my schedule to spend some time walking from the Lincoln Memorial to the Nation's Capitol building. What a walk!

While walking along the reflection pool in front of the Lincoln Memorial, I observed a flock of GEESE hanging out. There were hundreds of them—you could not help but to awe over their presence!

That afternoon I was with a friend who, without him, I would not have been able to accomplish the business we were in town for. We took turns, when the going got rough, and with a lot of hard work we accomplished together the job we set out to do. While watching the geese take off that day from the reflection pool we started talking about the story of geese that I am sure many of you have heard before. I still am captivated every time I read the story of how geese fly in a "V" formation for speed, take turns at being lead goose, honk from behind for encouragement and if one of them goes down two other go down with him to help.

After a motivational day in our Nations Capital, when I got back to Florida that night and logged on to my e-mail there it was: the Geese story with an added twist. What a coincidence after my day! It made me reflect on our industry and how if we were more like geese we could travel that much faster and stronger in the right direction in reaching our goals for the profession.

I wanted to end with thanking our columnists and the Up Close and Personal team for being part of Golden Ratio's travels on this new adventure that will bring us all Up Close and Personal. I think we got a great "V" formation forming that will keep moving the profession in the right direction.

I leave you with the e-mail I was sent on the Geese! May it inspire you as much as it did me. Honk! Honk!

See you in the field! Lynda with geese

Lynda

"Geese"
When you see geese flying in a "V" formation, you might be interested in knowing what scientists have discovered about why they fly that way.

1. FACT: As each bird flaps its wings it creates uplift for the one immediately following. By flying in a "V" formation, the whole flock adds at least 71 percent greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own.

TRUTH: People who share a common direction and sense of community can get where they are going quicker and easier because they are traveling on the trust of one another.

2. FACT: Whenever a goose falls out of formation, it suddenly feels the drag and resistance of trying to go it alone and quickly gets back into formation to take advantage of the lifting power of the bird immediately in front.

TRUTH: There is strength and power and safety in numbers when traveling in the same direction with those whom we share a common goal.

3. FACT: When the lead goose gets tired, he rotates back in the wing and another goose flies point.

TRUTH: It pays to take turns doing hard jobs.

4. FACT: The geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.

TRUTH: We all need to be remembered with active support and praise.

5. FACT: When a goose gets sick or is wounded and falls out, two geese fall out of formation and follow him down to help and protect him. They stay with him until the crisis resolves, and then they launch out on their own or with another formation to catch up with their group.

TRUTH: We must stand by each other in times of need.

We are fortunate that there are more geese in life than turkeys. Let's remember to uphold each other in friendship and give each other a big honk more often.

Contact Lynda at GoldenRatioPR@aol.com