Comments on: The Empty Chair http://siblinggrief.com/the-empty-chair/ A Place to Talk About Adult Sibling Loss and Grief Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:41:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: John McIntyre http://siblinggrief.com/the-empty-chair/comment-page-1/#comment-2112 John McIntyre Fri, 10 Dec 2010 04:59:00 +0000 http://siblinggrief.com/?p=124#comment-2112 There is a Civil War song called "The Vacant Chair," describing the anguish of a missed loved one at the dinner table who died in the war. This was such a common occurence that the song was very popular, in part because it allowed people to share a common bond of grief. The song was published by a Henry S. Washburn after hearing a of brave Massachusetts soldier who postponed his furlough to rescue his woulded fellow soldiers, and was shot and killed during the battle. The first lines go like this: We shall meet, but we shall miss him, There will be one vacant chair We shall linger to caress him, As we breath our evening prayer. When a year ago we gathered Joy was in his mild blue eye But a golden cord is severed, And our hopes in ruin lie. We shall meet, but we shall miss him, There will be one vacant chair We shall linger to caress him, As we breath our evening prayer I hope these lyrics in some way comfort you. I think the fact you grieve for him during holidays shows how truly wonderful your brother was and how blessed you are that he was - and is - a big part of your life. There is a Civil War song called “The Vacant Chair,” describing the anguish of a missed loved one at the dinner table who died in the war. This was such a common occurence that the song was very popular, in part because it allowed people to share a common bond of grief.

The song was published by a Henry S. Washburn after hearing a of brave Massachusetts soldier who postponed his furlough to rescue his woulded fellow soldiers, and was shot and killed during the battle.

The first lines go like this:

We shall meet, but we shall miss him,
There will be one vacant chair
We shall linger to caress him,
As we breath our evening prayer.

When a year ago we gathered
Joy was in his mild blue eye
But a golden cord is severed,
And our hopes in ruin lie.

We shall meet, but we shall miss him,
There will be one vacant chair
We shall linger to caress him,
As we breath our evening prayer

I hope these lyrics in some way comfort you. I think the fact you grieve for him during holidays shows how truly wonderful your brother was and how blessed you are that he was - and is - a big part of your life.

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