Every life, no matter how short, endures as long as it is remembered.

That Once Occupied Space

The vacant chair at the table is not empty, nor is the vacant space around the Christmas Tree, the omission in family pictures, the date on the calendar that was always marked as a birthday. Those spaces are filled with memories, longing, and perhaps even regret. Most of all, however, they are filled with love. There is comfort because the space will always be there, with love, delightful memories, and great appreciation for the short life that was once in those spaces.
The title of this blog is the name of an old song that was written at the beginning of the Civil War. The Vacant Chair, written by George F. Root in 1861 can be found on the website "Civil War Talk."

We shall meet but we shall miss him. — There will be one vacant chair. — We shall linger to caress him —While we breathe our ev'ning prayer.
When one year ago we gathered, — Joy was in his mild blue eye. — Now the golden cord is severed, — And our hopes in ruin lie.
CHORUS:
We shall meet, but we shall miss him. — There will be one vacant chair. — We shall linger to caress him — While we breathe our ev'ning prayer.

Verses two and three are also included on the site listed above, and they refer to the death of a young man on the battle field. You can search YouTube to find recordings of the song with its common melody. The most clearly and beautifully simple version is this Tennessee Ernie Ford rendition.

Monday, October 20, 2014

The Song Is the Same


Different are the circumstances of our child’s death, Different are their names, Different was their life and the length of it, But their song was the same.
They lived for one brief moment in history, Much too soon they were gone, They left us here, parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters,
To remember the gift of their life and somehow go on.
Whatever the time that has passed for us, whatever the pain and grief that we claim, We are all here together to remember our kids,
So your song becomes my song and our song is the same.
 
Barb Seth TCF, Madison, WI 
From the Compassionate Friends Newsletter
Wyo-Braska Chapter, October 2014, 
Volume VIII Issue X
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