Deep Thoughts, Goose Edition

So, I was looking out over Lake Tahoe, watching the sunrise over hot coffee, (ha ha ha) watching geese swim, fly and walk around, and I realized that the goose is an ideal animal.

The main reason is that the goose exists in all three habitable elements – earth air and water (not including fire as I have no interest in being a volcanic vent tube worm).  The goose also thrives equally in man made and wild habitat. They seem to enjoy all four seasons as well.

I think when a lot of people pick an animal as the best, they pick an animal that is the master of one domain – a soaring eagle, for example. Maybe I am showing my midwestern roots, but many of these animals are all flash and no substance.

An eagle can’t swim or walk, hmm? And a vulture can walk around but can’t swim.  A cheetah can’t swim or fly! An elephant can swim, but only Dumbo could fly… I’m not saying the goose is great on land, but it can get around.  I don’t know how competitive a swimmer the goose is, but it always looks like it’s having a good time on the water.

Granted, the goose is not attractive in a hipster sort of way; when you say “Put a bird on it,” you don’t mean a goose. The goose has instead been culturally appropriated by nice ladies who want to stick concrete geese in various outfits on their front porch, and accessorize inside the house via goose Christmas wreaths, pot holders and etc.  But, for all the cultural baggage that has been foisted on the goose, it is still a fine looking animal.

In sum, I think that geese are unique in their ubiquity, extraordinary in their mundaneness, and singular for their versatility.

So there you have it: Geese are awesome. Feel free to present other animals to be placed along side the goose pedestal I have created.


Leave a Reply to Jodi R Cancel reply


