Laden's Rest
The Sign of the Cardinal
by , 01-10-2009 at 11:23 AM (887 Views)
Peck....Peck....Peck....Peck.... and so it continues throughout the day. The bright male cardinal attacks his image that he sees in my bay window. He exhausts himself everyday, determined to win the battle of protecting his domain from intruders.
Research shows that this behavior is common among the male and female cardinals. Both are known to fight aggressively with their same sex colleages to protect their claimed piece of land. Sure enough, we have a couple that has laid claim to our yard. However, it does not appear common for cardinals to attack their image in winter. This is suppose to be a practice done only during breeding season, and though cardinals are known to raise three broods a year, January is definitely not one of the months. Yet, my little visitor doesn't appear to have gotten the memo on that fact. He does have a mate, but she doesn't make as many appearances. I have also heard him try out his song at the break of dawn and the fall of night, but he is far from being on a regular schedule. Maybe the mild winter we've has him confused.
Being that I am three quarters Celtic descendant with a strand of Cherokee in that blend, I must confess that I have inherited seeing things beyond a normal, scientific vision. Both the Celtic and the Natives believed in talismans or spiritual communicators. The Natives believed that a natural talisman chose you, and not you choosing it. I was a young lass when the cardinal chose me, so I immediately took this bird's odd, out-of-season behavior as a message I may need to heed. Call me silly, but God has used cardinals in dreams and in fact to lead me before, so such a visit from this little guy made me immediately stand up and take notice.
I noted how he continually attacked his own image, and I felt overwhelmed to assure him he was safe and that all he was really doing was attacking himself. Ahh! Had I not been doing the same of late? Had I not been blaming myself for being thrown away by an alcoholic husband of 23 years? Had I also not been struggling with the feelings of failure in protecting my youngest's heart that now was full of anger leading her down dark paths? I see! My blaming myself and allowing depression over such to keep me daily on edge was equivalent to the cardinal's constant attack of his own image. It is time to make a change.
Thanks, little red bird, for the message. Peace has re-entered my heart. Now I need to put some netting on that window to help restore yours.
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