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Several
Calhouners were in attendance during the WVU
basketball game last Saturday, including Steve
and Donna Morris Maxwell of Clarksburg and Joe
and Sandy Stull Morris and daughters Aren of
Cranberry Township, Pa., and Drue, a WVU
freshman.
Of
course, they were talking about all the good
memories of growing up in Calhoun County and
asking what was new. I told them about several
younger graduates who are returning and hoping
to set up small businesses or services and also
about the increase of younger children who are
taking part in Junior Sermon at church.
After
the game, I was driving home in the snow at a
slower than usual speed, so it was a good time
to think about the week’s happenings. I was
thinking that Calhoun County has a hold on the
hearts of so many, but my mind wandered to some
of the problems we face and why these happen.
Then I
remembered this story from an unknown author:
“Have
you ever wondered why migrating geese fly in a
‘V’ formation?
As with
most animal behavior, God had a good reason for
including that in their instincts.
As each
bird flaps its wings, it creates uplift for the
next bird. In a ‘V’ formation, the whole flock
will add 71% more flying range than if each bird
flew alone. Whenever a goose falls out of
formation, it suddenly feels the drag and
resistance of trying to fly alone and quickly
gets back into form.”
Like
geese, people who share a common direction and
sense of community can get where they are going
quicker and easier than those who try to go it
alone. When a goose gets tired, it rotates back
into the formation and another goose flies at
point formation. If people had as much sense as
geese, they would realize that ultimately their
success depends on working as a team by taking
turns, doing the hard tasks, and sharing
leadership.
Geese
in the rear of the formation honk to encourage
those up front to up their speed. It is
important that our ‘honking from behind’ be
encouraging; otherwise, it is just honking.”
Can we learn from the geese? Take communities
for instance:
--What
if we band together to improve our county by
building on the positives and eliminating the
negatives?
--What
if we welcome new people to our communities,
treat them as if they had been born here, and
encourage them to take some of the
responsibility?
--What
if community leaders were to get together in a
formation that depends on working as a team?
--What
if more experienced citizens could “honk from
be-hind” by voting their choice in elections and
giving encouragement to new officials?
I felt
more positive after reading this story. If the
birds of the air can do it, I am sure Calhoun
County can do it.
The
Bible says this in Job 12: “Ask the . . . birds
of the air and they will tell you . . . The soul
of every living thing is in the hand of God . .
. He alone knows what we should do; he
understands.”
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