A Reflection of a Cardinal

The Northern Cardinal.  Is he not the most recognized of all birds?  His bright red color against the white snow or his contrast against the green of the tree.  She is a beauty, too.  Her understated brown accented by her red lipstick.  No wonder he loves her so much that he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. Together they raise their young. He feeds her at the tray feeder and chases away any other would be suitor including ....himself!

I have long heard of Cardinals fighting with their own reflection, but never had I seen this behavior.  I happened to be chauffeuring a handful of rowdy  sweet teen-aged boys on a bottle collection.  My role was to simply sit in the car and be quiet.  My son was among these band members anxious to get the whole thing over with raise funds for their marching band.  As I sat reading in the car with my carnoculars always handy I watched as a male Northern Cardinal did indeed have an imaginary enemy to battle with.  I was lucky to have my camera ready.  Even luckier that the battery was charged. Yes, my memory card had not been forgotten in my computer! I was entertained as the poor bird attacked himself over and over and over again.

We may laugh at the cardinal, or even feel sympathy for him.  We have all done it.  We have been our own worst enemy.  We attack ourselves over and over again with defeatist attitudes.  We use words like "would", "should", " can't."  We look in the mirror and wish we were taller, thinner, buffer,leaner.  What a difference we could make in the world if we changed our can'ts to cans.  Would to will.  If we accepted ourselves as God designed us to be, we would be free to allow the more positive aspects of the Cardinal shine through. We could be more helpful, kind and generous.  So get out there today and let your light shine!  Start, or keep, looking for the good in others and you'll probably end up seeing some in yourself, too!

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Philippians 4:8