--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I'm sailing, sometimes I'll spend…" description: "\"“When I'm sailing, sometimes I'll spend hours watching flocks of birds. They have something special going on there,\" Gordon continued. \"They are all se..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/joan-frances-casey-20220_quote_when-i-m-sailing-sometimes-i-ll-spend-ho_1797568.jpg" --- # When I'm sailing, sometimes I'll spend hours watching… ![“When I'm sailing, sometimes I'll spend hours watching flocks of birds. They have something special going on there," Gordon continued. "They are all separate entities, those birds, but they share a single thought. Watch them fly in formation and suddenly veer around some invisible obstacle. Watch…” quote by Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/joan-frances-casey-20220_quote_when-i-m-sailing-sometimes-i-ll-spend-ho_1797568.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/joan-frances-casey-20220_quote_when-i-m-sailing-sometimes-i-ll-spend-ho_1797568.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c99/joan-frances-casey-20220_quote_when-i-m-sailing-sometimes-i-ll-spend-ho_1797568.jpg) > ““When I'm sailing, sometimes I'll spend hours watching flocks of birds. They have something special going on there," Gordon continued. "They are all separate entities, those birds, but they share a single thought. Watch them fly in formation and suddenly veer around some invisible obstacle. Watch them flutter in swirling confusion and then, abruptly, move together in perfect formation again, each knowing its part in the whole. That what I mean by group minds." Gordon seemed to weigh his remarks, as though each word had significance. "A flock," she said, testing the term. "I guess my group of personalities is like a flock." She smiled ruefully. I only wish I could be lead bird sometime. (155)”” [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Collective behavior emerges when individuals align, creating a shared purpose despite differences. **In simple terms:** Groups can act as one mind. Key Takeaway Foster collaboration and shared vision. Themes teamwork collective intelligence empathy Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical observational When to use this quote - workplace teams - sports squads - online communities Key Concepts systems theory social dynamics emergence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance personal identity with group goals? - When does coordination become conformity? A Different Perspective Groupthink can suppress individuality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) [Flock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flock/) [Flock Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flock-said-2001535/) [Flocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flocks/) [Flocks Birds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flocks-birds-1530408/) [Significance Flock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/significance-flock-2001536/) ## Related quotes > [We used to send whole flocks of birds shooting out of our mouths and never managed to grab them by their wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henning-mankell/we-used-to-send-whole-flocks-of-birds-shooting-out-of-our-mouths-and/) [Henning Mankell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henning-mankell/) > [“No sheep may leave the flock," he said to anyone who would listen, "unless he comes back again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonie-swann/no-sheep-may-leave-the-flock-he-said-to-anyone-who-would-listen/) [Leonie Swann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonie-swann/) > [I looked around. As flock leader, everyone was expecting me to make a decision. Jeb's presence here would bring uncertainty, chaos, probably danger. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/i-looked-around-as-flock-leader-everyone-was-expecting-me-to-make-a/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [Everything about Christianity is contained in the pathetic image of 'the flock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/everything-about-christianity-is-contained-in-the-pathetic-image-of/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/a-leader-is-like-a-shepherd-he-stays-behind-the-flock-letting-the/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [A flock of blessings light upon thy back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-flock-of-blessings-light-upon-thy-back/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Birds of a feather really do flock together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/birds-of-a-feather-really-do-flock-together/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [We laugh heartily to see a whole flock of sheep jump because one did so. Might not one imagine that superior beings do the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sir-fulke-greville/we-laugh-heartily-to-see-a-whole-flock-of-sheep-jump-because-one-did/) [Sir Fulke Greville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sir-fulke-greville/) > [Miserable creatures, thrown for a moment on the surface of this little pile of mud, is it decreed that one half of the flock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marquis-de-sade/miserable-creatures-thrown-for-a-moment-on-the-surface-of-this-little/) [Marquis de Sade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marquis-de-sade/) > [I don't know how to tell it--but ef such a thing could be As the angels wantin' boardin', and they'd call around on me--…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-whitcomb-riley/i-don-t-know-how-to-tell-it-but-ef-such-a-thing-could-be-as-the/) [James Whitcomb Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-whitcomb-riley/) > [There is not much collective security in a flock of sheep on the way to the butcher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/there-is-not-much-collective-security-in-a-flock-of-sheep-on-the-way/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [To be a good shepherd is to shear the flock, not skin it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiberius/to-be-a-good-shepherd-is-to-shear-the-flock-not-skin-it/) [Tiberius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiberius/) > [There are two kinds of leaders: those who are interested in the flock, and those who are interested in the fleece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-esar/there-are-two-kinds-of-leaders-those-who-are-interested-in-the-flock/) [Evan Esar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-esar/) > [“Without this flock, I would be worthless. Without the people in this flock, I'd be empty. Without the people who started this flock, I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-a-thompson/without-this-flock-i-would-be-worthless-without-the-people-in-this/) [Shannon A. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-a-thompson/) > [Max—you have a bigger mission than finding the flock's parents. Focus on helping the whole world, not just your friends. I held my wings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/max-you-have-a-bigger-mission-than-finding-the-flock-s-parents-focus/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) ## More by Joan Frances Casey > [“I thought carefully about the events of the evening and decided that there must be limitations on desires. It wasn't true that I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-thought-carefully-about-the-events-of-the-evening-and-decided-that/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“Lynn said that therapy was like separating the strands in a tangled web of yarn. It made sense that things would keep getting more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/lynn-said-that-therapy-was-like-separating-the-strands-in-a-tangled/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“I'm going through hell," I cried, "and Steve wants me to be thankful he baked a pie." (272)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-m-going-through-hell-i-cried-and-steve-wants-me-to-be-thankful-he/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“I had never before considered that people near me might have problems that were not caused by me. I had been created to please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-had-never-before-considered-that-people-near-me-might-have-problems/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“I feel as though I can only hold it together if I don't worry too much about its falling apart. (288)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-feel-as-though-i-can-only-hold-it-together-if-i-don-t-worry-too/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“Jo knew she had to be utterly truthful, even when her version of the truth conflicted with what Lynn wanted to hear. Truth was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/jo-knew-she-had-to-be-utterly-truthful-even-when-her-version-of-the/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“Why didn't I feel that I belonged to my parents? How could I have known that I was not right? I think it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/why-didn-t-i-feel-that-i-belonged-to-my-parents-how-could-i-have/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“Now that she had the diagnosis to explain her sense of reality, she sorted some of the chaotic jumble of thoughts and memories. "I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/now-that-she-had-the-diagnosis-to-explain-her-sense-of-reality-she/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“The accuracy of my memories, whether things happened exactly the way that the personalities remember, doesn't really matter. If my memory, combined with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/the-accuracy-of-my-memories-whether-things-happened-exactly-the-way/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“I don't expect to have a fully verified story of how Jo's disorder developed, but I don't think that historical accuracy is as important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-don-t-expect-to-have-a-fully-verified-story-of-how-jo-s-disorder/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“I knew Lynn was a "professional." Like all of the therapists I had seen before her, she was talking to me because she was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-knew-lynn-was-a-professional-like-all-of-the-therapists-i-had-seen/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“It's like I'm carrying around this huge secret that I'm never supposed to tell. But since I don't remember just what I'm supposed to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/it-s-like-i-m-carrying-around-this-huge-secret-that-i-m-never/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“I get attached to people, but they have their own lives, their own problems, and really don't give a shit about anyone else. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-get-attached-to-people-but-they-have-their-own-lives-their-own/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [“I attempted to be clear and straightforward in my approach to Dr Tate, deferring to his medical expertise and stating my desire merely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/i-attempted-to-be-clear-and-straightforward-in-my-approach-to-dr-tate/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) > [ “The little girl's dependency on her father made \[his\] abuse more insidious.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-frances-casey/the-little-girl-s-dependency-on-her-father-made-his-abuse-more/) [Joan Frances Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) [Explore all 31 Joan Frances Casey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-frances-casey/) ## More Bird quotes > [And I have been very blessed, having coached some of the greatest that have ever played the game. But if I had to start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/and-i-have-been-very-blessed-having-coached-some-of-the-greatest-that/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) > [Some minds corrode and grow inactive under the loss of personal liberty; others grow morbid and irritable; but it is the nature of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/some-minds-corrode-and-grow-inactive-under-the-loss-of-personal/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Set the bird's wings with gold and it will never again soar in thesky.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/set-the-bird-s-wings-with-gold-and-it-will-never-again-soar-in-thesky/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [“He unfixes the metal notch and slips his hand around the body of the bird. Feels its heat, its small heart beating. He stares…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-schuyler/he-unfixes-the-metal-notch-and-slips-his-hand-around-the-body-of-the/) [Nina Schuyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-schuyler/) > [I would rather learn from one bird how to sing than to teach 10,000 stars how not to dance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings/i-would-rather-learn-from-one-bird-how-to-sing-than-to-teach-10-000/) [e. e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings/) > [Can you imagine any better example of divine creative accomplishment that the consummate flying machine that is a bird? The skeleton, very flexible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-murchie/can-you-imagine-any-better-example-of-divine-creative-accomplishment/) [Guy Murchie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-murchie/) > [Surely, God could have caused birds to fly with their bones made of solid gold, with their veins full of quicksilver, with their flesh…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/galileo-galilei/surely-god-could-have-caused-birds-to-fly-with-their-bones-made-of/) [Galileo Galilei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/galileo-galilei/) > [And wheresoever, in his rich creation, Sweet music breathes--in wave, or bird, or soul-- 'Tis but the faint and far reverberation Of that great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-sargent-osgood/and-wheresoever-in-his-rich-creation-sweet-music-breathes-in-wave-or/) [Frances Sargent Osgood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-sargent-osgood/) > [A clock struck out the hour of twelve, and the bird in the hedgerow was still singing as we marched out to the roadway,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-macgill/a-clock-struck-out-the-hour-of-twelve-and-the-bird-in-the-hedgerow/) [Patrick MacGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-macgill/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Meanwhile, the trees were just as green as before; the birds sang and the sun shone as clearly now as ever. The familiar surroundings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-hardy/meanwhile-the-trees-were-just-as-green-as-before-the-birds-sang-and/) [Thomas Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-hardy/) > [When they started to drain a swamp where birds and fish had lived, for a new housing development down the road from his apartment,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maile-meloy/when-they-started-to-drain-a-swamp-where-birds-and-fish-had-lived-for/) [Maile Meloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maile-meloy/) > [The bird with the thorn in its breast, it follows an immutable law; it is driven by it knows not what to impale itself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/the-bird-with-the-thorn-in-its-breast-it-follows-an-immutable-law-it/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [Real like sucks the life out of losers. if you want to fuck with the eagles, you must learn how to fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/real-like-sucks-the-life-out-of-losers-if-you-want-to-fuck-with-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If we studied birds ,maybe we could learn to be free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/if-we-studied-birds-maybe-we-could-learn-to-be-free/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) [Browse all 4,802 Bird quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bird/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“When I'm sailing, sometimes I'll spend hours watching flocks of birds. They have something special going on there,\" Gordon continued. \"They are all separate entities, those birds, but they share a single thought. Watch them fly in formation and suddenly veer around some invisible obstacle. Watch them flutter in swirling confusion and then, abruptly, move together in perfect formation again, each knowing its part in the whole. That what I mean by group minds.\" Gordon seemed to weigh his remarks, as though each word had significance. \"A flock,\" she said, testing the term. \"I guess my group of personalities is like a flock.\" She smiled ruefully. I only wish I could be lead bird sometime. 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