Life’s journey is always full of surprises. Some good. Some bad.
One of the best things to happen to me in my life was becoming friends with William Fields.
Some may look at the two of us and wonder, how could two fellows like you be friends, even spiritual brothers?
William grew up in a hard time. He had to attend segregated schools. He suffered an accident as a young fella and lost an eye. He had to travel miles and miles to go to a swimming pool because of the color of his skin. He had every reason in my mind to be a hard man.
Yet, he was not.
William became a talented and compassionate man, artist, teacher and promoter for civil interaction.
William was the kind of fellow who always showed up at your door when you were having a hard time. Just as if God was sending him to you (and I expect God did).
He was the kind of fellow who strove to teach all of us that we need to put hatred, prejudice and ill will towards one another in the rear view mirror. He embodied the best of the “Content of Character”.
William was my brother.
He would probably chastise me for saying many of the things I have shared above, as he considered himself a humble servant of the Lord.
On his Seventieth Birthday, September 1st, my brother was taken by Covid.
Covid is a type of slavery, or at least a slave master. It wants to own us, to control us, how we live and what we do. Covid lives on fear and misinformation as much as it lives on our bodies.
Over a hundred and sixty (160) years ago, we began the battle (that continues) to assure liberty and justice for all.
Today we battle Covid as it tries to control our lives.
I hope you join the Covid battle by getting vaccinated and being smart.
I am tired of losing family, friends and neighbors to Covid. Are you?
Stay safe, and get vaccinated.
– Leton
Here is a link to the story of the Crying Tree: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VQ9SvSwq2og
Below are some of William’s work and a picture of William with Jim Swartz at our Abingdon groundbreaking. Many of William’s art pieces will be on display beginning later this month (September 2021) at the William King Museum in Abingdon.
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“Letters From Leton” is a blog series comprised of the weekly updates that Leton Harding – President, Chairman, and CEO of Powell Valley National Bank, shares with the Bank’s team members. These newsletters are full of uplifting anecdotes and intriguing insights that are applicable beyond the Bank, so we want to share them with you.
