Yesterday, a simple shopping trip with a friend’s daughter turned into something much more. Jessi wanted an extra special gift for her mom. Her beloved Dad, Chuck, had passed away in his sleep two months ago. She wanted a gift to express the family’s continuing love for him, and she wanted to help her mom and brother John through their grief.
Just the day before, Jessi’s mom, Maryann, and I had gone shopping together. I wanted a floral arrangement to honor Jessi for her high school chorale’s holiday concert. At the florist’s shop, I saw Maryann smiling brightly. She was happily gazing at the swirl of sparkles dancing around a pair of cardinals in an electric snow globe. I knew in that instant it should be hers.
Yesterday morning I took Jessi to the florist, and she, too, fell in love with the magical snow globe. We left the shop with Jessi cradling her delicate package of snowy cardinals in her arms. It will be a wonderful Christmas gift!
As Jessi got out of my car at her home, I thought of Chuck, and suddenly, I felt his inner presence. In the next instant, the radio console blinked off with a loud electric snap! And then it came right back on. The clock now read 1:00, many hours from the actual time.
“What just happened?” I wondered. “This has never happened before.” Then I knew inwardly it was a message from Chuck! He was letting me know he knew of the gift, and he was sharing his gratitude for my help with his beloved family. Suddenly, it dawned on me: 1:00 is really 100 percent! It was his electronic thumbs-up!
Later, I also realized that the cardinals are a perfect message from Chuck. Red cardinals have long been viewed as heavenly messengers sent by our loved ones to watch over us! Even old folklore embraces this belief. In fact, red cardinals are considered the most common heavenly signs that people receive from departed loved ones.
Our heavenly friends and family share with us love that endures always, and they reach out to assure us of their presence and their support. We just need to accept the possibility and pay attention by opening our inner awareness to our loved ones’ presence and guidance. We may find that their messages come in many ways: through nature, songs we hear, our dreams, our electronics, things we might see in a florist’s shop, and so much, much more.
Yesterday’s magic started with love. It was in my desire to help a friend and her children, the caring they share with each other, and Chuck’s ongoing support for his family.
Chuck arranged for the cardinals in the dancing sparkles of the snow globe. He’s letting Jessi, John, and Maryanne know, “I’m still around, I’m still loving you, and I’m still caring for you—with all my heart.”