Shadowbox's And A Mother's Son

This one was hard to do. All throughout the process, all I could think about was how this was all that was left.

Even in telling the story, I find it difficult. I'm the mother of a young man and I can't imagine what it would feel like to have only memories, photos, and a shadowbox left of what was the child you birthed and watched grow into a brave young man, a brave young soldier.
The customer was actually a former employee. I did not know her when she worked there, it was before I came on board.
I didn't even meet her until after she came to pick up what I had framed for her.

She brought in all of the medals, photos, and the charcoal gravestone rubbing to our store manager, and just asked him to handle getting it framed because it was too hard for her to do.
He came to me with all of the items, and I went to work on the design. I wanted it to be special. I wanted it to be perfect. I felt such heartbreak for her that I wanted to do something, anything for her. This was all I could give.
When I finished everything, she came in to pick it up and tears were flowing everywhere. I cried for her. She cried for him.
He lost his life in serving our country. For us.
His mother lost a child.
And all she has now are memories.
God bless our military and the thousands of young men and women who serve. God bless the families who support them and suffer loss. God have mercy on those who make life difficult and treat with disrespect those who give and gave their lives so that we can live in a free country. I pray that their battles are not in vain.

God Bless you Sgt. Channing B. Hicks.