I Saw the Sign

It is FINALS week at my son's university, much like the majority of colleges around the country. He has always put forth a lot of effort to achieve good grades. There are times, despite his studying and perfect attendance, the good grades do not materialize. 

As a parent, I try to encourage him without nagging. He resides with me. I see him studying. He stays up late working on essays, homework, etc... I pray a lot for his success. 

Today happens to be my mother's birthday. She died from ovarian cancer in June of 1981. It doesn't matter how many years pass, I miss her. There are times it is even more painful. She loved to sing. Her passion for music has always been evident in my family.

On Facebook early this morning I posted that it was my mom's birthday. At the moment I hit send, I began to cry. It has been quite some time that I wept over missing her - not that it lessens what her absence means. I put out a wish for her to assure me she was with me.

Back to my son's final exams. One of his courses is a vocal class. It has been wonderful for him. He likes to sing, but now he does it with knowledge of proper technique and confidence. His final for this class required him to sing two songs. I was incredibly nervous for him. In my attempt to not appear as such, I babbled incessantly in the car on the way to drop him off. My hope was to take his mind off any angst he may have been feeling. 

As he got out of the car at the fine arts building, I wished him success. Before driving off, I looked to my left to see a single, bright red cardinal. I knew then that all would be OK. My son would sing beautifully because my mother was watching over him. The presence of a cardinal is believed to be the symbol that a loved one is with us. Mom. She came through for me. Mama was a songbird. She'd surely be with my boy.

I was in awe to see the beautifully bright cardinal in the de-flocked shrubbery in front of the fine arts building. So much that I didn't think to take a photo. I drove back around but it had flown away. Still, it was just the sign that I needed. 

Not the actual cardinal.