A SONG FOR DAD
In Memory of John Dufour
Amherstberg, Ontario
My dad passed away very unexpectedly last week and our family is heartbroken! The day after he passed, my mom, two brothers and I sat around the dining room table to make the the arrangements. I heard a cardinal outside and told my brother. Ten minutes later I had to run out to my car for something. While walking back toward the house, I noticed a red cardinal in a tree, and he was singing. He appeared to be looking directly at me. I have always been able to imitate the cardinal call, so I whistled back, and the cardinal immediately responded! I sat down on our porch and we continued to call out to each other for several minutes.
I have been sleeping in my dad’s garage since he passed because that is where I felt the closest to him. One early morning I woke up and went from the garage into our home for a few minutes. I walked outside headed back toward the garage and noticed it was such a beautiful morning. I looked up at our neighbor’s house antenna and there was a bright red cardinal singing to me. While whistling back to him, I was thinking how exhausted I was, but did not want to leave until he left. A few seconds later, he flew away and I truly felt like it was my dad saying, “Honey, go get some rest!”
The following morning, my fiancé and I woke up exhausted as we did not sleep at all during the night. Around 7 am, we went outside with the trash. I looked up and saw two cardinals on the same antenna, to which I exclaimed, “See! See! It’s my dad!”
I felt such a strong connection with these beautiful birds. I have always heard about red cardinals and their connection with our loved ones who have passed, but never fully believed it until now. My dad was the best man who ever lived. He was strong, smart, funny and incredibly giving! His heart was just too good for this world. I will look for cardinals every day and will sing a very special song to them … for my dad.
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