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Well done poem, Mike.

Correct me if I am wrong someone, but isn't a Jewish tradition that there be an empty chair at table for the "unexpected guest"? Puts a different spin on it, just sayin

very good poem mike.says a lot we would all like to say.

Mike, it's a very very good thought, and a good poem !

Seriously I know what you mean, however, I have got over the empty chair, and other side of the bed (but not at the dining table 'cause I don't actually have one and tend to eat in my lounge, or bedroom on a laptray) by putting my large teddy bear in the empty chair, dressed in one of Richard's shirts, he has a college scarf on, and Richard's glasses perched on the end of his nose!!

This is possibly a "childish" thing to do, but brings me so much comfort - I know that it might look rather strange, but it is much better to have someone, or something, sat in the empty chair for company. Beats talking at an empty chair. I don't have any pets and the bungalow is too small really for a pet - at least at the moment.

Maybe you could find something to sit on that empty chair.

I do know, and like the idea of the "unexpected guest", but I'm sure you are after some way of keeping Ann at your dining table.

This Christmas I'm actually going to my neice and sister's for a few days. I am already wondering how I could bring Richard into the "Day" as it will be my first time away for 15 months then, and have decided to take a very special Christmas candle with me and have it lit on the table, to remain on (when safe) therafter (usually about 6 days worth) - I think this should be some comfort to me and bring him to our table.

I hope you do find something to sit in Ann's chair.
Best wishes Jeanette xx

Jeanette, I have a big gorrila that Ken gave me one Valentine's day and I have been adding things to it as I find them. He is wearing his Key West cap that became his favorite and some other things. I had not thought about his glasses. That would be good.

I took over Ken's favorite seat to watch TV on the reclining loveseat. I could not bear to sit in my place and not have him there to lean on and cuddle with. When the family is together we don't have an empty chair because we always had to pull up extras and we just don't pull up the extra empty one. However, it is still sad and like an elephant in the room because it does focus attention that he is missing more than when we are all dispersed throughout the house.

Well, time to dry my tears and hop on a conference call. Good poem, Mike.

Very nice poem Mike. It says what all of wants to say. Jeanetta, I like your idea of the bear and Deb your Gorilla. I don't like when someone would sit in Bob chair in the family room. When I sit where I usually do to watch TV I feel like Bob is right there in his chair.

Mike, THANK YOU for your poem. I am having my first Thanksgiving without Jim - his family and mine and all I could think of is what do I do with the empty chair, the empty place at the dining room table. I have deceided to give my nephew the honor of sitting at the head of the table in his Uncle Jim's spot. Mostly because I think that if I looked at his place at the table and saw nothing I would lose it. I am putting a small table close to the Thanksgiving table. It will have Jim's picture, a candle burning and his baseball shot glasses. We will all raise our glasses and toast him before we sit down to dinner. Then I won't sit at that table for another year. Your poem says it all. Joyce

I appreciate the comments about my poem, and I'm sure you all know that I wrote it because it expresses the way I feel, and by expressing my feelings, I have the opportunity to work through them.

Our dining table seats more than eight, can be expanded to a larger table, but I leave it as a table for eight. We have five, six, or seven people for dinner - depending on who shows up. That means that we never need to seat someone in Ann's chair, so we don't. This isn't so much by design as it is "just the way it is!"

This Thanksgiving I am considering making the table smaller -- by taking the extension out of it. The table then comfortably seats six - problem? I'm only having a total of five this year! Ann's chair would still be empty - I don't mind, that's just the way it's supposed to be, I guess. For now!

I am cooking this Thanksgiving just like I used to - every other year, but this will be the first one without Todd - we are having a buffet!

All of the chairs in my house are empty except for the one I'm sitting in. No one has sat in the dining room since Suzy had her seizure 4 months before she died. It was just too sad for us to eat there. We watched Anderson Cooper in the family room at dinner time. Since I have no family present, my Holidays are spent with my cat and lots of photos of the good times.

Denny, I'll be alone with my dogs and cats, but I plan to join my former coworkers for a huge Thanksgiving feast - at least for a while.
Our family room didn't feel right until I put Serendity, a huge stuffed panda, on David's couch. David would always sit there, atretched out, and watch tv or work on something. "Dip" doesn't do anything...except be a comfort to me.