John T. Williams portrait painting

John T. Williams portait painting by Julie Mason

This is a recently completed portrait. John T. Williams is his name. As legend has it, he was a hard drinking Native American fellow who loved to carve wood. The 4-inch carving knife is what may have led the police to shoot him, ending his life but not his legacy.

Last summer I was in Seattle and walked past a tent where people were carving a large totem pole, and was invited to step in and carve a while. Apparently it was a community project.

This February, I was again in Seattle and read in the local paper that Mr. Williams’ family had for the last couple years spurred the community to work together on a memorial. It was a very large totem pole. Hundreds turned out to carry the pole up the steep hills from the Sound to the Seattle Center where it is placed not far from the Space Needle, as a lasting tribute to one who many now call their Brother.

The end of the article said, “They took something beautiful away. We gave something beautiful back.”

I am awestruck by such an act of complete forgiveness:

rather than riots and vengeance,

 a profound turning of the other cheek.