A Symbol of Hope

When former Washington Post Editor Ben Bradlee was in the last years of his life, he would sit in his home office and read the morning paper he once produced. He often noticed a bright red Cardinal sitting outside and decided to name him "Buddy." Buddy became a major topic of discussion. Bradlee told his wife, Sally, and his son Quinn about the bird, who became part of the family. After Bradlee passed away, Quinn went down to the family farm and the Cardinal flew onto the ledge. When he moved to another room, the bird followed. Quinn then started to believe his father had come back as a Cardinal, giving him hope and easing his pain.

For the next year or so, Quinn would see the bird at his apartment, as if he was checking in on him. Sally never went to the family farm without Bradlee, and the first time she ventured there, Buddy was waiting on the kitchen windowsill. The bird was traveling back and forth from downtown Washington to the Maryland eastern shore as if he was part of the family. After not appearing for a few months, on Aug. 26, Bradlee’s birthday, the bird was on the ledge waiting for the family to awaken.

When you "Google" the symbolism of a cardinal, the first thing that appears is a quote from the Dalai Lama: "Find hope in the darkest days and focus in the brightest."

We have all had dark moments in the last few months; we all are looking for hope in the future. As we spend the coming days with some of our family while missing others, we need to know that we can find hope in these downtimes, and when we reach the bright days, our resolve and commitment will be the strongest. The symbolism of the Cardinal allowed the Bradlee family to soothe the pain of losing a loved one. It restored their focus, and they found hope. We might not have something as obvious as a bright red Cardinal to remind us that the future will become brighter.

But let’s look a little closer and see if we can find another daily symbol if we pay close attention.

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