Grief
Is a Cardinal a Sign From a Loved One?
And other superstitions surrounding death
“Is that bird Talia?” my great-nephew asked.
“No, no. The pretty red cardinal symbolizes her saying hello from heaven,” I explained.
He scrunched up his nose and raised an eyebrow. But when I went to try and explain further, he had already turned his attention back to his little brother.
His question came on the heels of my mother’s exclamation upon seeing a cardinal at her feeder, “Oh, look, Talia is visiting.”
The superstition claims when you see a cardinal it is a sign from heaven. The bird represents a loved one who has passed and when you see one, it means the loved one is visiting you. This belief has been part of ancient Egyptian, Celtic, and Hindu spiritualism, as well as the lore of many Native American tribes.
The cardinal is a beautiful bird that stands out with bright, bold red colour. They are also melodic songbirds. I can see why people would like to associate this bird with their loved ones.
There are people all over the world who believe when a loved one passes, they are still able to watch over and guide us.
