There were red cardinals for sale in the gift shop.
I was at the Mayo Clinic visiting my son. Mayo is one of the most evidence-driven, research-obsessed places on the planet. And there, next to the get-well cards, were little red cardinals. You know the saying: when a cardinal appears, someone you’ve lost is close by.
Then I started noticing everything else. Quiet places for contemplation all through the buildings. Therapy dogs walking the halls, bringing comfort to people on some of their hardest days.
The place built on science was making room for something science can’t fully measure.
And that little voice I’ve been arguing with for years got louder.
Here’s my confession. I live in the world of science and research. I was trained in CBT. I believe in data, outcomes, and evidence. I’m not a traditionally religious person.
But there’s a voice. Sometimes it’s a whisper. Sometimes it’s not so little.
It asks: should I talk to my dad? To Will?
Does it matter? Could it help? Or is it just me talking to myself?
I’ve been collecting answers to that question my whole life without realizing it. In Egypt, I studied teas and the rituals around them. In Thailand, I learned about aromatherapy. In West Africa, I studied cultural music and dancing, and how communities move together through grief and joy. Every culture I’ve visited has its own way of reaching for something bigger than itself.
And here’s what I do believe in, with my whole heart: community. Family. Friends. The power of people showing up for each other. I’ve built a 30-year career on it.
So where does that leave me?
Somewhere in between, I think. Holding the science in one hand and the cardinal in the other, not sure I have to put either one down.
Maybe that’s the real question. Not science or faith. Not evidence or belief. But whether we’re allowed to need both.
So I’m doing what I always do when a question won’t leave me alone. I’m bringing in experts and opening up my living room.
On November 16, I’m sitting down with two people who’ve spent their careers on this question: [Christine A. Young, MSSA, LSW](https://www.linkedin.com/in/christineayoungmssalsw/); [Dr. Shaleen Kendrick, ThD](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaleenkendrick/) andWe’re going to talk about where science, spirit and community meet, and what it means for how we heal, grieve and lead.
Register for the Zoom at the LinkedIn Event Link: https://lnkd.in/eW-FJmwF
And I want your questions in the room.
What have you wondered and never said out loud? Do you talk to someone you’ve lost? Do you feel silly about it? Have you ever had a “cardinal moment” you couldn’t explain?
Hit reply or drop it in the comments. Nothing is too small or too strange. Bring me your questions and your concerns, and on the 16th, we’ll unpack them together.
With love and zero shortcuts,
Wendy
