I think we’ll just stick with our bird theme. A few weeks ago, it was “snowbird”, which, somewhat to my surprise, I have become. Last week I wrote about the joy in seeing a bluebird – the unique blue that is so rare to see in nature. This week I am going to go with the delight of seeing a cardinal.
On my frequent walks here in sunny Florida, I often see cardinals, lots of cardinals. In fact, back home in Minnesota, I see a fair number of these birds. Whether I see cardinals against a gray and snowy landscape in Minnesota, or the lush green vegetation in Florida, they are always a wonderful surprise. Honestly, they never cease to thrill. I feel grateful to witness those brilliant scarlet feathers, and although the color red may not be as rare in nature as is the color blue, the brilliance of that red just feels like a unique sight. Even the lesser brown of the female cardinals is exciting.
So, although the cardinal may not be as rare a bluebird, they are really no less delightful for me. What a joy to be able to see them in both places in which I have made a home this winter. (Although for the life of me, I cannot figure out why the Minnesota ones haven’t figured out that life could be a lot less complicated if they flew a few hundred miles south).
Joy can be found in rare sights and not-so-rare sights. So, although COVID has me stuck indoors, especially as I return to Minnesota, I am happy to say that I can still find the joy of a cardinal outside my kitchen window.