Find Your Flock

Have you ever seen a murmuration? It's a phenomenon that occurs when starlings fly in coordinated patterns. Hundreds of birds move in beautiful, seemingly choreographed formations. Scientists who have studied this spectacle believe it is intended to protect the birds from predators by making it more difficult to single out individual birds for attack. 

How do all these tiny creatures make moment-to-moment adjustments in flight? Researchers have found that each bird is communicating with only six or seven of its closest "neighbors." This outreach is then magnified across the entire flock. A mighty feat accomplished by small, seemingly inconsequential connections.

"Flocks of starlings exhibit a remarkable ability to maintain cohesion as a group in highly uncertain environments and with limited, noisy information." ~ Study on Starling Flock Networks

A devastating impact of the pandemic has been our isolation. We are living in highly uncertain times and often surrounded by "limited, noisy information." It seems to me that we can learn some powerful lessons from the starlings. 

Don't fly alone. Check in with family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers. Build a "neighborhood" around yourself.

It's not about the numbers. Your group doesn't need to be huge to make an impact on your well-being. No need to get stuck trying to reconnect with every person you've lost touch with. Pick one, or two, or seven. The number isn't important, the interaction is what matters. 

Connection creates perspective. The more we focus inward, the less objective we are about our own problems and the problems of the world. Connecting with others helps us navigate the noise and uncertainty with some healthy perspective. Simply talking to someone else about what is on your mind can significantly lower your stress and brighten your mood. 

Take a little time this weekend to find your flock.

"Community is the oldest form of healing in the world. It is the entity that holds us up and holds us accountable." ~ Becca Stevens, Find Your Way Home