I grew up in believing that seeing a cardinal means someone who you loved and has passed away is visiting you in spirit. Well, one day it occurred to me that so many family members that I was close to died I didn't know which one was visiting me, and, I'm always seeing the male cardinal, it doesn't make sense to me to believe that my mother, aunt or niece is visiting me in male form of the bird. Now I believe that a butterfly that stayed on my hand was the spirit of my daughter-in-law (an experience shared in another post).
I just did a quick browse, and the sighting of a cardinal in that context specifically refers to the red males...they symbolize eternal flame and immortality. Regarding the story of the butterfly and your daughter-in-law...is this the post you were talking about, Von? I always feel special when a bird lights near me or a butterfly lands on me and just sits there. They can go anywhere they want, yet they choose to be with us. They represent the spirit of those gone before us in many cultures. Some see them as evidence of rebirth/resurrection because of the phases they have gone through and the magical transformation. Here is a brief article on the subject. It gives the detailed meaning of each color butterfly Here is a snippet of each: Black Butterfly Folklore describes black butterflies as either a negative or positive omen, depending on the culture. White Butterfly A white butterfly is usually viewed as a positive omen of good luck and prosperity, while some cultures view it as being an omen of death. Brown Butterfly A brown butterfly is often said to be the actual spirit of the deceased. Green Butterfly The green butterfly is a message of not just love, but that the deceased is prospering in heaven. Orange Butterfly If you see an orange butterfly soon after your loved one passes, then you've just received a vital message of love. Yellow Butterfly A yellow butterfly appears on the scene soon after a loved one has passed with a message of hope. Blue Butterfly A blue butterfly is a symbol of life and acceptance. Purple Butterfly If you are lucky enough to receive such a messenger from your loved one, you can rest easy knowing they are at peace and happy in the spiritual realm. Red Butterfly The arrival of a red butterfly soon after the death of a loved one is often the messenger of someone who was very powerful and passionate in life.
My mother believed all kinds of "signs." As I recall, she saw the red cardinal was a messenger to convey that the loved one was safe and happy, having "crossed over." Of course, she also believed that burying a dishtowel in the yard would cure warts, so take that as you will.
Thank you @John Brunner for that tidbit regarding the cardinal. Eternal flame (hot forever?) immortality (wickedness?). That doesn't sound good at all spiritually.
This is the eternal flame logo for the United Methodist Church. Kennedy's grave has an eternal flame. It's a good thing.
We have a male cardinal that visits a couple times a day. We call him scruffy because when we first started interacting with him, he must have been a new husband. He had a particularly pronounced molt and looked really scruffy. He came to realize we were a good source for seeds. He comes up on the deck rail by the kitchen sliding glass door and prances around and chirps until we throw out some seed. He hasn’t flown into the house but he gets really close and is I afraid. He has wife and kids with him now when he comes.
My father was a pigeon fancier and kept them all his life. He raised and raced homing pigeons when he was younger, but went to fancy pigeons when he got old. His birds were so inbred that the eggs they laid never hatched. After he died one did and produced a white pigeon which reminded me of a dove. I couldn't miss the symbolism.