Let’s Learn from the Birds
“Starlings' murmuration consists of a flock moving in synch with one another, engaging in clear, consistent communication and exhibiting collective leadership and deep, deep trust. Every individual bird focuses attention on their seven closest neighbors and thus manage a larger flock cohesiveness and synchronicity.” ~ Sierra Pickett
The starlings’ murmuration is mesmerizing and breathtakingly beautiful, an amazing arial ballet involving sometimes as many as a million individuals, all working in precise, and yet unplanned harmony. I have been reflecting on this dance a lot recently, most especially in the context of humanity and how we might better engage with one another. In truth, I believe we can learn a great deal from birds.
We have become so individualized in today’s culture and can easily lose sight of how interconnected we are – and how much we truly need one another. In that since of disconnection, we are more like birds crashing into one another than dancing elegantly with one another. The repercussions of these collisions are painful, heartbreaking, threatening to our future – and unnatural in many ways.
It is true that each of us is unique. We give expression to Life, to Spirit, in a way that no one else does. Finding that unique song and giving expression to it is our life’s purpose. But it is also true that we are deeply intertwined with one another and with Life. Our identity includes the entire created cosmos. We are this wonderful, mysterious paradox – entirely unique and intimately connected to the whole.
Entirely unique and intimately connected to the whole… That’s a heady concept, a bit overwhelming when we try to grasp it with our intellects. And trying to live lives with that awareness can seem impossible…
But what if we embraced this truth like the starlings? What if we simply maintained awareness of those closest to us? What if we dedicated ourselves to filleing each interaction with kindness and grace? What if we endeavored to ensure that each interaction carried more love into our world?
Notice that the individuals we interact with are shifting and changing as we move through our lives. Like the dance of the starlings, each interaction adds to the beauty of the whole, transforming it moment by moment. Through being intentional with our interactions, we become a human murmuration with each one of us contributing to the whole.
Let’s learn from the birds. Let’s let go of the need to control and give ourselves to the dance. Let’s mindfully stewarded the space between us and the next person
All the snarls we have created in the fabric of our shared humanity could slowly, lovingly become untangled, by a simple willingness to join the dance and trust the process.