Early this morning while running in San Jose, I got attacked by a gaggle of geese. I guess they use this part of the trail I run as a breeding ground. The young chicks were waddling around and as I ran past I was reflecting how cool it was that there was a mother, father, and geese children all hanging out together in little family clumps along the trail. That was until the male geese saw me as a threat. I did not know that they hiss like cats when threatened! I also did not realize that they will go on the offense, especially when protecting what is important to them. I must of made quite the picture running at full speed down the trail, goose closely on my heels!
This leads me to the thought of protecting what is important to me. When something is physically a threat, I guess the reaction is more obvious. What if the threat is not physical? I think that most threats are not physical, which makes me realize that perhaps I need to be more vigilant when standing guard over what is important to me, precious to me and what I would considered sacred ground.
Like that goose protecting the area that his fledglings were playing on the side of the trail, I need to be standing watchful over the the parts of my life, the parts of my commitment that are equally fragile, just starting off. If I have made a commitment, or if I am trying to accomplish something in my life, and I allow an external factor to get in the way and disrupt my brand new commitment so easily, then I have to really question my vigilance.
The goose reacted with ferocity, am I doing the same when something even gets remotely close to disrupting what is important to me? Preventing me from keeping a commitment to myself, to my family, or to others?
Guy Reams
