Grief and Geese

     I saw a Canada Goose dead on the road a few days ago, it was sad to see but alas, life goes on.  There are things to do and places to be so the dead goose although sad was put to the back of my mind.  Then, tonight as I drove past the spot where the dead bird had been a few days ago I saw another Canada Goose sitting in the long grass along the shoulder of the road.  Strange I thought as I drove by, continuing on my way.  Driving back, the goose was still at the side of the road, but walking, almost pacing.  Slowing down, because I did not want to be responsible for another death of one of these regal birds.   Totally stopped on the side of the road, I saw the goose continue to walk from the roads shoulder into the long grass then back again.  It's head was hanging low and it was making a strange noise.  Not honking like I usually hear from a goose, but almost a whimpering sound.  It dawned on me that this must have been the mate of the goose that was hit a few days before.  This broken hearted creature was grieving for its lost love!  I had heard that geese mate for life, but I wasn't sure if it was true or not.  However, in watching this one, it certainly seemed like it was true!  My heart broke for this bird.  This may seem sappy, but grief is real, whether a person, a dog or even a goose.  How small of us to think that we are the only species that feel this horrific loss!  I have experienced loss, grandparents, aunts and uncles like everyone else but also my niece who died too young and both my mom and dad.  It doesn't matter if you are expecting it like in my mom's case or unexpectedly like with my dad and niece.  You are never ready to let go, never!   Seeing the behaviour of this goose, I believe it too was suffering a heart wrenching loss.  It's posture, the mournful cries, it's inability to sense it's surroundings accurately, hence the walking on the shoulder of a busy highway.  Part of being human is our capacity to verbalize our emotions, not to experience them.  I think that most animals feel pain, both physical and emotional.   I drove away slowly, looking in my rear view mirror, empathetic to the goose.  As my eyes came back to the road ahead, my head hung a little bit lower.