When my dear friend of over thirty years reached out to me from her teaching assignment in Namibia, I was both surprised and deeply moved. She told me I was the perfect artist to create a very special work of art, and her words gave me goosebumps. Years ago, I had painted portraits of all four of her children when they were very young. Many of those portraits captured moments at the beach in Florida, where our families spent countless cherished days together.

The twins each had their own portrait—her daughter depicted playing in the sand, and her son with seagulls flying around him. Life took us in different directions, with moves and years between us, but we always stayed in touch.

Tragically, during the pandemic lockdown, the grown-up girl twin, now a devoted nurse, passed away from COVID-19 while bravely fulfilling her duties. It was a devastating loss for everyone who loved her.

Later when her twin brother was building a home, a deer locked eyes with him and he felt this was a sign of his beloved sister. He snapped a pic and sent it to his mom. She knew this painting would be a very special heartfelt gift.

Here is the “Silent Messenger”