a separated son

Last updated on: September 24, 2006 at 5:44 pm by David Hayward

a separated son 2006-09-24T17:44:28-04:00 David Hayward

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I want to tell you a story about this painting. A woman who has previously purchased my art on eBay emailed me recently asking about a painting I had on eBay called “Separated Friends“. She wanted it, but it had already sold. We made an arrangement for me to paint a similar one on commission. The painting above is the finished product, called â€œSeparated Sonâ€. Hereâ€™s why I named it that. She told me why she wanted it. I quote:

â€œ*I had a son who vanished without a trace here on his 23rd birthday, November 4, 2000. When I saw that picture, it tugged at my spirit. It was like what has happened in my heart with my son. His name wasâ€¦ is Joshua. I loved it, and I love how looking at your work makes me feel in my soul.*â€

I can’t tell you how deeply her story moved me. My oldest son’s name is Joshua, and I couldn’t imagine the pain she must have and must still be enduring. We emailed back and forth, discussing the painting, and she confided even more:

â€œ*Joshua left us beside the ocean in the nighttime. Itâ€™s a long, strange storyâ€¦ one that could take hours of sharing. I am a believer. I have survived through faith. Some people said: â€œOh, God would never make you have to live with the not knowing. He will let you know what has become of your son.â€ He didn’t. And we have learned the true meaning of faith, not on a day filled with sunshine and fulfilled dreams, but in the trenches where it would be oh so easy to throw up the hands and stomp away in angerâ€¦ for lack of answersâ€¦ in anger over the loss… in the trenchesâ€¦ the hurtâ€¦ the disbeliefâ€¦ the agony of the hunt unreconciled with the child we sought so frantically…*â€

She is one of my heroes. I commend her faith. Sheâ€™s running a good race. Sheâ€™s fighting a good fight. Sheâ€™s keeping the faith. Click here to read the news stories about Joshua Smith.

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