A Cardinal Reminder
Has your work ever become more meaningful than you expected?
A couple of weeks ago, I sold three paintings to one person. Each was to be a gift for family members.
One of the paintings was in ink of a Winter Cardinal. It was created in the style of a watercolor painting with a black ink pen used to finish the finer details.
For me, this cardinal is a memory from last winter. I was visiting my Aunt and Uncle, and my cousin was in town over the holidays. On this snowy day, as our conversation meandered, we watched birds hopping from limb to limb on the tree outside their floor-to-ceiling window.
This little painting, already holding special meaning, was sold to a wonderful woman who will give it as a gift to a loved one who lost her spouse.
She told me that seeing cardinals reminds this loved one of their partner. When I painted this, I didn’t have any idea that this little painting could hold so much meaning.
With that in mind, here’s a little poem we can think of like a prayer so that this cardinal continues to bring comfort through the pain of loss.
A Cardinal Reminder
Never doubt that I am with you
Flashes of red in the trees
Outside your window
Hovering by the seeds
Or in the bush by the doe
It is me and I am love
From branch to branch
As buds grow and bloom
You will catch my glance
Closer we will become
Always, you will know
I circle your life
A familiar hug comes
Season after season
As we move in time
Away from our moments
With memories everlasting
This cardinal is a reassurance
We are infintely intermingling
Our souls eternally in orbitWhen a connection like this is made on paintings that I have done (which was already special to me) it makes the work even more meaningful. I am thankful that this story was shared with me.
It is such a beautiful and encouraging reminder to keep creating—even small pieces of art! As other creators have said here on Substack, you never know who needs the items you make.