After my mom passed away back in 2011, I was sitting on my back deck one morning not long after, drinking coffee, and a cardinal landed on the table across from me. I was in the process of writing her headstone and just couldn’t muster any words that would tell the world what this lady meant to me and my brother and sister and those that knew her. The cardinal just sat on the table and stared at me. To said it was very odd, would be a massive understatement. It stayed probably three minutes and then flew away. I continued drinking my coffee and about ten minutes later, I turned around and there it was again. I had this feeling that this bird wanted to see if I was done writing and I promise you I had not been drinking or doing drugs. It flew off soon after and I sat down and I wrote four simple words which aptly described her, “Supermom, Our Best Friend.”
I have often thought about that morning because someone said that a cardinal is a loved one checking in on us. I didn’t really believe in all of that but one morning years later on her birthday, a cardinal landed on the hood of my car. Now I am no bird expert and usually the only thing from a bird that lands on my car is, well you know, but I cannot recall a bird just sitting on my hood for any extended time. We just stared at each other because I was heading to the cemetery to put flowers on her grave. The cardinal finally flew off and then I mentioned it someone and they said it was a “God Wink.”
Not long after, a friend told me that her dad loved to pick up pennies and now she will find a penny in the most odd places and times when she needed it the most. I told her that is very cool to remember your dad that way and she said, “Nope, it is a God Wink. I am telling you, every time I feel down, I find a penny.” Her conviction convinced me that this is more than a coincidence. Much more.
Now I talk to people all the time about the God Wink and I am blown away on how much this happens for someone who is missing a loved one. Another friend when they are having a rough day, will turn on the radio and Creedence Clearwater Revival will come on almost immediately. Again, the conviction of this just keeps on and on blowing me away. I keep hearing story after story of this happening in the most random and needed spots.
Songs, pennies, birds and other things that come at the perfect time when we are feeling blue is now much more than just happenstance. My mother loved Hot Tamales and would have them in a jar for years. After she passed, I never thought of that candy again. A few months ago, I was having a really bad day and went to lunch and ran an errand. In the store as I was walking by, I looked to my left and there was a single box of Hot Tamales. One box, that is, in middle of all off this candy and I wasn’t even looking for candy that day. I started to laugh because my mom had the greatest sense of humor and she knew I couldn’t stand them but always offered me some every time I would see her. I stopped, picked up the box, bought it, and went and sat in the park on a beautiful day and we had a fantastic talk. Bad day gone.
A God Wink. May we forever be blessed with them.
