Sometimes the signs aren’t loud

They’re quiet, familiar, and gently reaffirming — like a cardinal outside your window at just the right moment. 

In a season of transition, I’ve found myself looking for direction in unexpected places. This is a reflection on noticing, listening, and trusting the small things that carry big meaning. 

Signs.  

Cardinals have always held a special place in my heart. My grandmother used to say that when you see a cardinal, it’s a sign that someone who has passed is visiting you. It’s a sweet belief — and one I still subscribe to today. Cardinals represent a sign for me. Although they’re small creatures, their presence brings big emotion. 
 
I’ve been on the lookout for signs recently. A transition in one’s life can call so much into question. Sitting in your thoughts can be good — yet maddening. At times, you wish a sign would just drop in front of you with bold letters and a clear plan for the next step. 
 
But where’s the fun in that? 
 
What I’ve gathered so far during this time of introspection is that signs are small — and gently reaffirming. Just like the cardinal, these subtle moments can carry big meaning. Is there something small that’s been speaking loudly to you lately?  
 
For me, I am exploring following my passion in my next chapter. Maybe, at this juncture in my life, I’m meant to do something completely different from what I went to school for or practiced in my professional career. The frontier, the potential, and the promise to myself — that whatever I do, I will lead with purpose — is pretty amazing to contemplate, and even more moving to begin putting into action. Like, moving-to-the-point-of-tears moving. 
 
Every conversation with a colleague, every podcast on the treadmill, even the latest personality test — they’ve all offered something. A spark, a question, a quiet nudge. New avenues to explore, different pathways to consider… yes, signs to heed. 
 
I’m lucky to have such an amazing support system of friends and family cheering me on and urging me to shoot my shot. And in this season of change — there it was. Another sign. 
 
The cardinal family that calls two of our trees their home base returned after their winter hiatus. It seems I have a fan base from afar. It feels like there are more cardinals than in years past. And I like to think they represent the people who helped shape me — the ones who influenced the person I’ve become and the work ethic I carry with me today. 
 
I wish I could call them and say thank you for the encouragement and to seek their wisdom.  
 
But a sign — a cardinal — will do. 
 
So, when life feels big, loud, and overwhelming — a pause, a scan, and a curious mindset might just illuminate a sign you didn’t know you needed. 

The photo is of a puzzle my grandmother pieced together — now framed and hanging in my parents’ home.