On the Wings of a Cardinal

 I love birds. All types of birds; red-breasted robins, hummingbirds, purple finches, bluejays, doves, and even pigeons.  However, my favorite bird is the cardinal. I love the brilliant red of the male and the gold, reddish color of the female. I love their heavenly sound as they sing their beautiful songs.

Just a few facts………

Cardinals have a life span of up to fifteen years.

They are monogamous, with the male often feeding his mate, beak to beak.

Both male and female cardinals sing a precious song that is easy to recognize.

The male’s beautiful, brilliant, red color which is very similar to the red vestments worn by the cardinals, of the Catholic church, earned this spectacular bird its name.

 Some believe that our loved ones who live in Heaven send a cardinal to let us know they are thinking of us………

This is where my story starts, a little different than most of my work, a good story, a story from my heart; one that hopefully will fill your heart, with faith, hope, and love.

On the Wings of a Cardinal……

Once upon a time, God created many different types of birds. Large birds, medium birds and tiny birds with long beaks. God in His wisdom painted each group of birds with pretty colors so they would be unique and easy to identify.

He gave each bird their own special song, taught them to sing in harmony, how to make a nest, and how to look for food. Then, God taught them how to spread their wings and fly throughout the sky. After He blessed each bird, they made their way to their destinations to start their new lives.

God was happy with His birds but something was missing. He kept thinking about all the souls that made their  journey to Heaven. He saw their smiles, as they entered their new home and He was happy but knew those left behind had broken hearts.

 God decided to create a new bird that would bring comfort to all those filled with a deep sadness that consumed their very soul.

He thought about all the birds He created and one came to mind; His messenger, a symbol of peace and love- His white dove.  God invited the dove to sit on His shoulder as He started, His new creation.

 First, God made a small plain bird about the size of a robin. Then He picked up His palette and studied each hue.

 He thought about the green like His trees, the blue like His sky, and the yellow like His sun, then His eyes fell upon the brilliant, bright red, and He knew that was the color he wanted.  His special bird would be red, like the love that filled His heart for all of His children.  He gave the redbird a crest on the top of his head and a black mask, then smiled.  He told the dove to fly and spread the news that the redbird was finished.

God stood and admired His handiwork, then held the bird in the palm of His hand. He raised His creation to His mouth and whispered a special message ever so softly.

Then, God held his hand up and the beautiful red bird flapped his wings and flew off to fore fill his assignment.

As the bird flew, he looked for a special tree, an evergreen tree where he would wait for a whisper from above.  A whisper that would lead him to someone whose heart was breaking. Someone who needed a special message……

Some believe that our loved ones who live in Heaven send a cardinal to let us know they are thinking of us……

I believe…….

Two and one-half years ago, Mom passed away. Before her passing, she told me to look for a cardinal. She smiled her precious smile and stopped talking two days later. The day she passed was the saddest day of my life. My brother,  two sisters and I hugged each other as tears poured down our cheeks. We were devastated.

I remember waiting for Hospice to come and remove her bed and equipment. thanking God for His precious gift to our family.

Needless to say, sleep did not find me on that cold winter night.

In the morning, I went to pull back my lace curtains in the room where Mom passed and sitting on the porch railing, was the fattest, reddest cardinal I had ever seen. He sat there for the longest time looking toward the window. I believed he was looking at me.

  A smile; I found myself smiling, because, at that moment, I knew that Mom had found her way home.  Something strange but wonderful happened on that day. I felt peace.

 The cardinals seem to come for a visit when I am overwhelmed, missing Mom, or under the weather.  They have even come on special occasions.  Two swooped right in front of me on my last birthday. Maybe Mom and Dad both came to say hello.

Some might not believe…….

I know that some folks probably do not share my feelings on cardinals or my beliefs and that is okay. Everyone has the right to believe in what they choose. However, after a loss that literay breaks your heart, seeing a cardinal just might put a smile on your face. Even if you do not believe, the beauty of the special bird speaks for itself.

My final thoughts……..

It is my hope that all who read this, will reach out to those who have lost a loved one, those who are going through a difficult time, those who are lost, and those who need a friend.  Reach out to them with love. As the cardinal soars from his evergreen to bring us a message, reach out and bring your own message of love to all.

 

 

 

 

 

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Sing a little song…….

     In the wee hours of the morning, while we are snuggled in our beds, the robin  prepares for his solo, a beautiful song that beckons all his or her bird friends to wake up and sing a morning song. Sometimes it sounds like each bird is singing to the heavens.  Although many wish our winged friends would sing a little later, I for one love the different sound