Murmurations

I heard the gossip, but I knew
The things they said were never true.
I knew the person, and so I smiled,
And let them talk their little while.
For gossip’s tongue is always quick
To spread a tale and make it stick

I hope you had a really enjoyable half term and that some of you were able to visit friends or relatives. We spent three days staying with my mother-in-law who lives in Suffolk, and it was lovely both to see her and to spend a little time in a different part of the country. You may have visited Suffolk in the East of England yourself and you may also have heard that it is known for having big skies, because of the flat natural landscape.

A consequence of those big skies, especially at this time of year, is that it is easy to see murmurations of birds – particularly in the late afternoon. I don’t know whether you are familiar with that term, but murmuration refers to the gathering of thousands of birds, in this case Starlings, which fly together in ever-changing patterns across the sky, as they prepare to roost in woodlands or reedbeds for the night.

I read an article which described how scientists had used computer models to try to understand the birds’ movements within the flock, and they had decided that each individual responds to the movements of seven of its nearest neighbours, allowing the group to react to changes in the environment and possible threats as they fly together. The article commented that the birds somehow manage to organise themselves without any central coordination – there is no chief bird or management team there to tell the others what to do…but somehow each one manages to read the behaviour of those around it and respond in a way that benefits the group as a whole.

On one day when we were away, we visited the coastal town of Aldeburgh and walked along the seafront. Standing on the shingle beach overlooking the sea, 4 metres tall and weighing 3.5 tons, is a sculpture made of stainless steel and consisting of two interlocking scallop shells. Cut into the sculpture, which is called the Scallop, is the inscription I hear those voices that will not be drowned.

Those words come from an opera called Peter Grimes, which was composed by Benjamin Britten who lived, for much of his life in Aldeburgh. If you haven’t come across it, I will let you read about or listen to Peter Grimes for yourselves. Essentially, it tells the story of a fisherman who is ostracized by his community. Despite his dreams of respectability, and love for the village schoolteacher, Peter is never really accepted and is always seen as an outsider by the villagers. He is marginalized, mistrusted and made subject of ever growing gossip and that leads to his downfall. I won’t spoil the watery ending for you but suffice it to say, Peter Grimes, who is far from perfect, takes some poor advice and the story does not end on a happy note.
So, apart from Suffolk setting, is there any connection between the murmuration of starlings and Peter Grimes, the outcast fisherman? Well, it made me reflect on how we as humans react to others around us, especially those who are new to our group.

Firstly, starlings are thought to be relatively intelligent birds but the human brain is some 700 times larger. I have no idea how the average starling treats its friends on a day-to-day basis but the behaviour of the group in flight, the murmuration, really is quite remarkable. That sensitivity to the behaviour of others and adjusting their own behaviour accordingly in the best interests of the flock, is something that we as humans could learn from. How that happens is, as I said, not really understood, but it does and it works – be it a bird version of emotional intelligence or something else, it works for the group as a whole.

Secondly, we do well to reflect on how we treat those who are different to us in some way, or those who are new to our group. Are those individuals made to feel welcome and included, or are they mistrusted and mistreated and made to feel miserable, Peter Grimes-style. In a week in which there is Presidential election and a new leader of the Opposition, we will wait to see whether political leaders manage to bring diverse groups together, and focus on what unites those who are different, so that all feel wanted and included.
And finally, all of us have the power to do good or otherwise with our words. We can build folk up or we can hurt with an unkind or thoughtless comment that is remembered long after the words have been spoken. And of course, negative comments are all the worse if they are made by several people, if rumours are started and an individual is hearing unkind gossip all around. As per the poem that Julius read a few moments ago, gossip’s tongue is always quick, to spread a tale and make it stick

Sadly, we never know the impact of unkind comments on others and what they are thinking on the inside: I hear those voices that will not be drowned. It takes real courage to stand up against a group who are being unkind, but that is the right thing to do. It’s even harder, if the group is our group, our friends. Far better, if like the humble starlings in their murmuration we can find a way to work together that is good for all and to pick up on the needs of others – whoever they may be.