Cardinals are the sign I notice most often. Since my daughter Sarah died in April 2018, I have written about dozens of cardinal encounters on this blog. This page gathers some of the ones that mean the most to me and links to the full posts. For the first signs I recorded, in the weeks after Sarah went missing, see Signs from Sarah Rose Genari.
Why cardinals matter to me
I have come to believe that cardinal visits tend to happen when you need them most. Often they arrive when I am thinking about Sarah, or on a day that is especially hard for our family. I am not claiming to prove anything. I am sharing what I have seen so that others who are grieving may notice their own signs.
Cardinals on hard days
- Just like an Honor Guard: the day of the columbarium service, when a big male cardinal was at the feeder in the morning.
- Thanksgiving Without Sarah: cardinal visitors on a day that was hardest for my wife.
- Christmas without Sarah: cardinals in the tree on Christmas morning, and a male cardinal chirping the whole time I released a balloon.
- Two Years Feels Like A Lifetime! and Almost 3 years now: signs around the anniversary of Sarah’s death.
Cardinals that flew at the car
- Cardinal Buzz!: a bright red cardinal flew straight at the passenger window as I pulled into the driveway after Easter lunch.
- Cardinal Flyby on the Way to Church and Cardinal-Colored Bird Flyby on the Way to Church: quick flybys on the drive to Mass.
- Cardinal Passing By: a cardinal crossing in front of me, caught on my dash cam.
- June 9th: Cardinal Waiting on road: a cardinal that sat in the road until we were almost beside it.
Cardinals that seemed to be watching me
- Male Cardinal at the Window: a bright red male that hopped onto the head of a St. Francis of Assisi statue.
- Ever feel like you were being watched?: the same cardinal, in the same place, on the way to the tire shop and on the way back.
- Cardinal Visit While Watching MASS: a cardinal that landed on the railing just as the priest gave the final blessing.
- Surrounded by Cardinals: my wife counted eight different cardinals in the driveway in about fifteen minutes.
Cardinals together with other signs
- I Can Smell It: the smell of strawberries, one of Sarah’s favorites, followed by a cardinal chirping at work.
- Today in Cardinals: many cardinals in one day, including a video of one at the feeder with a female watching from the tree behind it.
Cardinal photos and videos
- Three Days of Cardinals
- More Cardinals
- Friday Cardinals
- Cardinal Snow Day: cardinals crowding the feeder while it snowed.
- Random Cardinals
- More pictures are on my Bird Photos page.
A cardinal I carry with me
My oldest daughter drew me a picture for Father’s Day, and I had it made into a cardinal tattoo. You can read about it in Memorial Tattoo.
Keep watching
If you have lost someone you love, keep your eyes open. The signs are often small and quick. You may also like my pages on bees and wasps and dragonflies.
