June 24, 2025 – What a meaningful little magnet, eh? All of us could do with a good omen, and featuring this one here today seems like a good sendoff for our Cardthartic staffers … CEO Ana and Product Manager John are flying to Columbus, OH, today to meet with Wild Birds Unlimited store franchisees convening there this week. So many Cardies have mentioned that they discovered Cardthartic in their local WBU that we thought, let’s pay a bit of homage to birding today!
A year or so ago, Contributing Cardie Marilyn Steidle shared a beautiful suggestion that someone had made to her: “Every day, step outside, sit, stand, relax, and listen to the birds for three minutes. Then start your day. It will make a world of difference.”
Just last week, Contributing Cardie Teresa Bender forwarded a Grateful Living quote by Steven Charleston. That name was new to me, so through a quick search I learned that he is author of more than a dozen books on theology and spirituality, and a leading voice of justice for Indigenous peoples, the environment, and spiritual renewal. For starters!
His awesome quote, “Celebrating what we hope for together is better than fighting over what we believe separately,” inspired me to read his book Spirit Wheel: Meditations from an Indigenous Elder, which prompted me to order the hardcover for five kindred spirits. Here is a passage I found particularly moving:
The monk in me likes sacred routine.
Each morning I awake
With the words thank you on my lips.
Each morning I touch the earth
From the center of the Four Directions.
I send my heart flying.
I send it sailing as high into the blue sky as I can.
Whether riding stormy winds
Or catching a ride on lazy clouds,
I let the words of my heart go free.
They will speak for me.
They will tell my story,
Offer my thanks,
Share my hope.
The ancestors will gather my prayers like flowers.
They will know the sound of my voice.
So before the first thin streams of light
Touch the sleeping horizon,
Their blessing will abide with me,
Come what may.
So my day begins.
My life set once more on the course to discovery.
Just like yours.
Just like yours, Cardies. You who lift spirits with your positive energy and show others how to move forward with tenacity and grace. Onward and upward today!
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
NOTE: We’d love to hear from you. If you’re signed in and reCAPTCHA still doesn’t recognize your humanity, please CLICK HERE to let us know.
June 24, 2025 – What a meaningful little magnet, eh? All of us could do with a good omen, and featuring this one here today seems like a good sendoff for our Cardthartic staffers … CEO Ana and Product Manager John are flying to Columbus, OH, today to meet with Wild Birds Unlimited store franchisees convening there this week. So many Cardies have mentioned that they discovered Cardthartic in their local WBU that we thought, let’s pay a bit of homage to birding today!
A year or so ago, Contributing Cardie Marilyn Steidle shared a beautiful suggestion that someone had made to her: “Every day, step outside, sit, stand, relax, and listen to the birds for three minutes. Then start your day. It will make a world of difference.”
Just last week, Contributing Cardie Teresa Bender forwarded a Grateful Living quote by Steven Charleston. That name was new to me, so through a quick search I learned that he is author of more than a dozen books on theology and spirituality, and a leading voice of justice for Indigenous peoples, the environment, and spiritual renewal. For starters!
His awesome quote, “Celebrating what we hope for together is better than fighting over what we believe separately,” inspired me to read his book Spirit Wheel: Meditations from an Indigenous Elder, which prompted me to order the hardcover for five kindred spirits. Here is a passage I found particularly moving:
The monk in me likes sacred routine.
Each morning I awake
With the words thank you on my lips.
Each morning I touch the earth
From the center of the Four Directions.
I send my heart flying.
I send it sailing as high into the blue sky as I can.
Whether riding stormy winds
Or catching a ride on lazy clouds,
I let the words of my heart go free.
They will speak for me.
They will tell my story,
Offer my thanks,
Share my hope.
The ancestors will gather my prayers like flowers.
They will know the sound of my voice.
So before the first thin streams of light
Touch the sleeping horizon,
Their blessing will abide with me,
Come what may.
So my day begins.
My life set once more on the course to discovery.
Just like yours.
Just like yours, Cardies. You who lift spirits with your positive energy and show others how to move forward with tenacity and grace. Onward and upward today!
Jodee Stevens
Founder & Chief Creative
NOTE: We’d love to hear from you. If you’re signed in and reCAPTCHA still doesn’t recognize your humanity, please CLICK HERE to let us know.
The ancestors will gather my prayers like flowers – that belongs on a card!
Lovely. Thank you for sharing
I go to my local ‘Wild Birds’ business and buy suet for my feathered friends. I have a four prong feeder so it is a bird buffet. The nearby birdbath makes for happy birds. So worth watching.
Beautiful message! The robin birthday card is in my qeue
For some reason my message was mangled. What I typed was the robin birthday card happens to be in my queue for the upcoming birthday of a cousin.
So beautiful, Jodee, I especially like” each morning I awake with the words thank you on my lips.” Our grandsons gave their dad a bird feeder for father’s day that sends video feed of the visitors to his phone. I’m sure that’s something wild birds unlimited sells. We never tire of watching all the birds at their many feeders.