Half Baked Goose Theory

One day, after enjoying some herbal remedies, I decided to correct the balance. I stepped outside for a cigarette on a surprisingly warm early spring day. The air was crisp, the sky a deep azure, and the animals were active. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed a pair of geese flying back to Canada. For whatever reason, my mind flashed back to elementary school. I remembered learning about geese, there migration and the reasons for it, and what happens if one were to get hurt. Apparently, if a goose gets hurt during the migration and can't fly it is doomed. The geese rely on a drafting system that allows them to save energy while flying. When you see geese flying in their signature V, the foremost goose is doing most of the work. No one bird would be able to make the migration by itself. So what does the group do when one its own is injured. All but one of the geese leave with out him. The lone healthy goose then stays with the injured one until they are both fit to fly. They then rotate back and forth who takes lead, allowing for one to be drafting at all times. In my elevated state of mind I began to wonder why geese do this. If the injured bird dies, then the healthy one is screwed. I couldn't think of a single reason why a goose would risk its own survival for another. Wagon-train morality came to mind, but if the gaggle had left a few geese then they would still be able to complete the journey whether or not the injured goose regained its health. Could this really be inherent morality in action. Does a singular goose risk its own neck in the hopes of saving another. There is no goose societal influence or pressure. Nor is there goose societal praise or congratulation for the hero goose. I began to wonder what the pair of geese meant for myself. Could this just be a strange quirk, or do all animals have this inherent morality too. As I pondered these ideas I realized that I had finished my cigarette and restored the balance the I had come out to find. Hmm, how about some cartoons to balance existential thought.