Baby geese attempting to cross busy street inspire Colwood grandmother

Colwood, B.C. -

Beside the busy road, Swannie first spotted the baby geese.

“There are six of them and they are so gorgeous,” Swannie says. She stops to appreciate the tiny balls of yellow feathers during her daily walks.

“And they’ve grown in the time I’ve been watching them.”

They’ve grown big enough to wander away, but not yet wary enough about where.

“Oh golly!” Swannie points to the gaggle of geese walking along the shoulder of the road. She says she’s never seen the goslings so close to the cars before.

“Oh! Anxious.” Swannie answers when asked how she’s feeling.

“Anxious that [drivers] won’t see them and mom and dad won’t be able to stop them from going across (the road).”

She can’t help but think of when her own child and grandchildren were that small.

“You just want to protect them and love them,” Swannie says. “And make sure no harm comes to them.”

Then the feather family waddles into the traffic and you find yourself asking, why did the geese cross the road? Not as a setup for a punchline, but out of genuine concern.

“You’re really worried if they’ll be able to manage it or something [bad] will happen,” Swannie says.

But now there’s no turning back. The geese begin crossing street in a line, the parents bookending their babies. The cars stop for them in both directions.

“Oh my gosh,” Swannie gasps. “This is huge!”

Just like a child’s first steps, first bike ride, first day of school, the goslings make it across the street unharmed.

“You don’t think they’re going to do it, but they do,” Swannie smiles. “And you’re so pleased and thrilled for them because they’ve accomplished something on their own.”

On the other side of the road, one of the goslings raises their little wings and runs towards one of their parents. You can imagine them proudly proclaiming, “Did you see what I did?!”

As they tell you all about it, you realize your fear has faded and your heart is swelling.

“But you also realize this is another step. This is another milestone. And they’re growing-up,” Swannie says. “You don’t have them forever. They’re there for a short time.”

Then the mother goose sits down in the grass and all six babies attempt to snuggle together under one of her wings.

It’s a meaningful moment of connection that Swannie says you learn to never take for granted.

“Human children are gifts. Creatures are gifts,” Swannie smiles. “We must give them all the caring, love, and support.”

So they can eventually cross the road, and get to the other side, without us.

“I wish them the best,” Swannie smiles. “I want their future to be happy, healthy, and productive.”