War is mainly about the soldiers but, let's not forget about the burden on families shoulders.

As Tim O’Brien said in his book, the soldiers are the ones that have to carry the images that they see in war and constantly remember. As well as all the emotions that were brought up during war. Thinking about the other point of view, as family members one has to carry a lot of things in one’s shoulder. This painting is about a mother who received a notice that her soon passed away in war. Looking at the painting one sees: a light bulb, a cracked window, a letter, a red cloth, and the dark shades surrounding the image. But, if one takes a closer look at these single object one will understand that each and every individual one has their own significance and story .To start of, the letter is the way the mother was informed that her son will no longer come back home. As the mother tries her best to process the information she is feeling pain, hopeless and emptiness. The mother uses the red cloth to clean her tears of pain and sadness, as she does so she remembers all the memories that her son and her experienced. The red cloth that she uses symbolizes his death and blood. As well, as a symbol that no matter where he is he will always be remembered by her. As she slowly, slouchy stands up and looks out the window she notices that the window is cracked on the right side. At that point she realizes that “home” is not “home” anymore without her son by her side and coming home when ever he would be able to. Lastly, the light bulb on top of her is the light that helps her realize what war can truly cause. For example, Tim O'Brien in Things They Carried said, “They carried all the emotional baggage of men who might die. Grief, terror, love, longing-these were intangibles” (20). Through this quote one knows that the soldiers carried a lot the intangibles things: memories, images, and emotions. But now a citizen is carrying intangible things that will rest on her shoulder with great weight and pain.

When one suffers the loss of someone that's so meaningful to them, one loses sense of “home”, “unity”, “family”, and “togetherness”.

"The Art of War with Frank Romeo - Media & Press." The Art of War with Frank Romeo - Media & Press. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Mar. 2016.