Maybe it was a message

This morning I was late for work, as usual. But that's another issue...

running late--

oh crap, it's Thursday morning--

garbage day--

it's ten degrees out--

my gloves were in the car overnight and they're freezing cold--

UGH! Hurry up!

I grabbed the bags and slip slid down the driveway trying not to breathe the cold air in too deeply, as if that was going to keep me warmer. From somewhere near, I quickly became aware of a bird singing or something...something like I'd never heard before.

And although I was late and although I was cold, I remembered my heart-shaped palm yesterday, and I just stopped right there, garbage bags in hand, to look. I looked up at the bare tree branches and moved back to listen and try to follow the direction the song was coming from. I looked some more and suddenly I was rewarded--

by the sight of a male cardinal sitting just above me, singing away like he was the happiest little cardinal alive.

That brilliantly colored red bird was sitting in the tree on a cold sunny day, the air as clear as a crystal with the deep blue sky in the background and pure white snow below. It was just the nicest surprise.

It didn't help me get to work on time. It didn't warm me up any. But I'm so very glad I stopped to see it.

And once more I realized how wonderful it can be when I just look~~