white feathers

[Kingaroo]

In another section, AB-er Buddy referred to a traumatic loss and added "For the first year I got white feathers when I was upset.Now learning to live with it so the feathers have dried up."

What does "white feathers" mean?

[Quizmonster]

A white feather was normally a symbol of cowardice. For example, men who did not willingly enlist at the start of World War I were often handed one. I'm not totally certain of the significance in the example you quote, unless it just suggests that he was afraid when thinking of his loss.

[Jules001]

It is thought that when the angels of lost loved ones are with you, they leave a white feather to show their presence, so in the first year when the feeling of loss was at its peak, there would have been more feathers, now as time passes the angel doesn't need to visit so often so the feathers have dried up. This is my interpretation of this anyway and would tie in with the loss.

[Quizmonster]

That's a new one for me, Jules...I've never heard of any such superstition. However, it certainly seems to resonate with the situation under discussion here rather better than the cowardice/fear idea!

[Kingaroo]

Jules, that sounds like a nice story.  From Buddy's original quote I assumed it was a physical symptom, like goosebumps or hiccups.  However, it was in context of "visits" fromdeparted spirits.  It sound like  "getting white feathers" is kind of like finding 4-leaf clovers or lucky pennies -- I guess Buddy actually found an unusual number of white feathers on the ground for a while and once his heartache subsided, he stopped finding them.

[Jules001]

I think rather than just finding white feathers on the ground where they can easily be explained by birds, they are generally found indoors in the house.

QM - nice to find out that I know something you don't - as you are always so knowledgeable ( shame mine is only about something not proven :( )

[dml54]

On my late sister's headstone there is a feather with the inscription 'another feather in the sky'. When she was alive, she believed that a white feather falling was a sign from someone she loved - up above. 

[Quizmonster]

Thanks for your kind comment, Jules. I've happily confessed several times on AnswerBank that you could fill hangars with stuff I don't know!

[JAX1]

I lost my cousin last week to cancer, she was only 47. Before she died she was worried she wouldn't get there ok (heaven). The week following her death her sister and surrounding close family including me have all come across a white feather in our path somewhere. A friend of a friend said the feathers are from the angels letting us know my cousin is safe and made it ok. Apparently people will come across white feathers throughout their lives, if you do you should always pick them up and put them in a safe place as they are sent from the angles. True or not true it gave me a feeling of peace.

[annierak]

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