His Cardinal Rule

Why this man has crafted hundreds of redbirds out of wood and given them away

- By JACK KIRBY, Allons, Tennessee

FINISHING TOUCHES The original cardinal Jack made was painted a solid red. Over the years, he has become more artistic in his work.

I slipped into the darkened room at the nursing home, not wanting to disturb the resident if she were sleeping. I was carrying a potted African violet in full bloom. Raising African violets was my hobby, and I enjoyed giving them to the people I'd gotten to know at this care facility near my home in Indiana.

The elderly resident was awake. She said hello and motioned to the chair beside her bed as I set the plant on the windowsill. She was quite frail, her body almost disappearing underneath her blanket.

“I brought you an African violet,” I said. “It burst into bloom just this morning.”

She smiled wanly and looked toward the window. “I wish...” she said softly.

I leaned closer so I could hear.

“I wish that just once before I die, I could look out that window and see a redbird. That way I'd know everything was going to be all right.” Then she closed her eyes.

Her last wish. And she’d chosen to share it with me. I felt bound to make it come true. But how? It wasn’t as if I could summon a cardinal to appear at her window. Still, I understood this was no small hope, that for many people a redbird was a sign that God was near. Maybe this lady needed assurance that she was going to heaven.