Empty Chairs

We all have them hopefully. A friend who you are rarely serious with, only when needed and that’s the point. Someone who knows you and you enjoy calling them “friend.” I happen to have a couple and feel very blessed to have them. One of them sent me a funny text today asking me about our annual routine of helping to serve Thanksgiving lunch at work.

It was funny becasue we no longer work together anymore and as a result of COVID and other factors there isn’t even an office in town for my old company anymore and he has joined the recently swollen ranks of work at home folks. It was funny because he and I used to complain about taking our turn serving but we always ended up enjoying it. Ribbing each other mercilessly as we always do much to the delight of all who passed through the line. As I reminisced about all those years serving dinners together I realized I missed it, missed the people, they felt like family after over 20 years.

Family. Thursday will be Thanksgiving. If that comes as a surprise to you, good luck finding a turkey! Seriously though, Thanksgiving is a major holiday when people gather with family and friends, eat lots of turkey, sides and desserts and hopefully give thanks for the blessings in their lives.

Yes, it can be stressful with all the cooking and sometimes tense family interactions. Yes, logistics and all the to do’s can make the holiday seem like a job and not a celebration. But that’s not how it’s supposed to be.

You see, just as I realized I would not get another opportunity to complain about serving company lunches and then laugh and be goofy while doing it, I am also all to aware of the many homes that will have empty chairs at the table this year. My wife and I have said ” see you soon” to 3 very close Uncles in just the last 3 months. That’s 3 families that will have a large part of them missing this year as the mashed potatoes begin their rounds. Traditions that will be broken for the first time in years. And while many will give thanks, many will quietly shed a tear for the empty chair and be left with just the memories to be thankful for.

I mentioned earlier that we said “see you soon” to our Uncles and not goodbye. Said that on purpose. You see all 3 of our Uncles were believers in Christ. We know that we will most certainly “see them soon” healed and whole and celebrating with Jesus. If you or your family members don’t have that decision settled, please do so this Thanksgiving season. Nothing better to be thankful for than that!

Oh, and please do me a favor. As you gather around the table to eat, talk and then eat some more, take a mental picture of the table and those gathered around it. Breathe it in, savor it all, chaos included, for a moment. We just don’t know what chair will be empty next year.