Holiday Reflections

For as long as I can remember the appearance of male cardinal, especially when not expecting one to appear, has been symbolic of someone no longer with us - an avian reminder of people of importance in our lives. In our home we hang a male northern cardinal decoration on our Christmas tree as an inclusion effort for those we miss so dearly.

As I was driving and looking around and thinking today about the Christmas holiday and how so much has changed (with not all of the changes being positive), this lone male cardinal paused next to me along a secluded, snow-filled road.

There he sat in the warm sun, even while temperatures were in the single digits with a wind blowing approaching 30-miles per hour. His unexpected appearance on this Christmas Eve Day, at a time when my mood was more reflective than outgoing, reminded me of special people we won’t be seeing this holiday - as if the bird was indicating “things are OK... everything will work out.”

Ironically, the setting for this cardinal picture was busy and cluttered, like life often becomes. I know there will be more still, serene times, just as I accept that an easy life was never promised. And even on my worst day, life is still better than some who don’t know if they will make it through the day. So, I have it pretty good and for that I am thankful, though some days I need reminding!

For each of you reading this I hope you have a male cardinal (or something symbolic) that appears this holiday season so you too can pause to reflect on those no longer with you, or how times have changed, but also so you can be reassured that things are OK, even as life is filled with challenges. Life won’t always be easy, but you are not alone either.

May your male northern cardinal appear and give you peace during this Christmas season!