The cardinal is a personal symbol of mine. Cardinals, for those who only see them in the south where they live in relatively comfortable surroundings year around, are tough little birds of bright color. When the winter comes, and the snow piles deep, the cardinal digs in and stays put. I hope I am like that. Six incurable diseases, financial problems, being forced to retire from a job I loved by poor health, are all winter things that have not driven me out yet.
And, of course, my favorite teams are Cardinals. (Sure, you can argue that it’s a St. Louis thing, the Arizona Cardinals were once from St. Louis.) The St. Louis baseball Cardinals just ended their season with a loss, but the loss was in the National League Championship Series. They were in that series for the fourth straight year. They have been doing well, a good sign for me.
The football Arizona Cardinals are at the head of their football division with a record of five wins and one loss. They had a winning record last year, but were left out of the playoffs because they were in the same division as the Superbowl champion Seattle Seahawks and the San Francisco Forty-Niners. Things are getting better for cardinals everywhere.
So things are looking up. I am happy, in spite of anything that stands in my way.



My cousin a Jersey boy loves the cardinals too. Baseball and football.
Very beautiful, the colours just reminded me that Christmas isn’t far away.