Legend of the Cardinal
Legend of the Cardinal
Legend says that when you see a cardinal is it someone who has passed on visiting you.
For when a cardinal appears, a loved one is near.
Maybe it was the fact that I grew up surrounded by a lot of death (and I mean, a lot. I guess that's just what happens when you grow up in a big family), but I have always been connected to trying to communicate with loved ones who have passed on.
Personally, I have different symbols for different people who have passed on. I couldn't tell you how I came up with how I connected these signs to specific people and I can't explain how I 'know', but I just..know when I see something specific that it's a certain person popping in.
Everyone has their own meaning for a shared symbol. In fact, my symbol for my maternal grandpa is a white feather. Not any colored feather, but a white feather. I actually know how that symbol came to connect with him, but that's a story for another day.
Now, my mom's symbol for a feather? It's for our Uncle Nicky. Hers isn't necessarily a white feather, she believes that feathers in general are Uncle Nick's way of showing up to make sure she knows he's still around.
It's a topic I find quite fascinating; how one symbol can mean so many different things for so many different people.
Now, onto the cardinal...
A cardinal is viewed as many things; a symbol for good luck, a reference to the Phoenix, and even a sign of a healthy relationship. But today, I want to remain focused on one thing - the spiritual meaning of a cardinal.
A cardinal is sort of like an urban legend, except not scary and offers peace and/or comfort. You heard about the cardinal meaning from your mom who heard it from her mom, and so on.
It really doesn't matter where this symbolism started or came from. What matters is one thing; that cardinals are a sign that offer comfort.
When a cardinal appears, a loved one is near...
Whether you're sitting on the front porch sipping your coffee and thinking about your grandma when a cardinal swoops in and lands on the tree branch nearby or you're driving and the beautiful bird crosses your path, there is one thing that is for sure - cardinals are little heaven sent messengers to remind us that everything is going to be okay and we are not alone.
To View Jen Downey's Full Cardinal Collection Click Here
Until next time
xx-
jen