There are many stories of people receiving messages from deceased loved ones via a cardinal visit. My friend was sitting on her deck missing her mother who had recently passed and a cardinal flew to the deck railing. The cardinal hopped towards her and appeared to stare at her. She returned the stare and he remained for several minutes. When he left, my friend said she was certain the cardinal had been sent by her mother and her sadness had been lifted. Her mother was a bird watcher and kept her bird feeder filled. Living in Ohio, cardinals were frequent visitors.