The other day, I caught sight of a cardinal perched on a snowy tree limb outside my window. The vivid red color of the cardinal stood out in contrast to the white snow on the tree and on the ground. I found myself thinking about the common belief that when you have a cardinal sighting, you are experiencing a visit from a departed loved one.
Just for the record, to be clear, this is not something I believe literally. I don’t think Aunt Jane or Cousin Amos have taken up newfound, feathered existence as cardinals.
But symbols still have meaning. When I spotted this cardinal, I did feel a sense of connection. It invited me to reflect on people who have been important to me. I brought loved ones to to my mind and memory, and physically, I did feel a sense of love in that moment.
So the association was true, in a sense. The feeling of love and continued connection were definitely real, even if this is just a here-and-now, beautiful, but-not-mystical bird. We make meaning in these ways. We do this all the time.
I’m glad we do.
Smuggling Grace 