Empty Chairs

As the holidays roll in, I read different takes as to why and how painful the holiday season truly is and why……with the loss of my mom, my brother, and most recent my dad, growing up, we always made the holidays the showpiece and the event of the year……memories were made, fun, togetherness, and gatherings.  Now, all I have are empty chairs and an empty heart. Of course it is painful, sad, and depressing.  How do you make better feelings and memories like those….. we don’t.  I take my time outs when I need to and just cry and that is ok.  But I must also think of those around me, my husband, my niece, cousins and close friends.  I cannot rob myself of holiday memories with them either.  It is always such a catch 22.  So, I cry of loneliness at the holidays and forgive myself, and then I gut it up and enjoy those around me…and that is what Christmas is all about…creating and making memories……and always thinking about the empty chairs…..and I am ok with that….

About the Author
Bio for Eileen Donbeck Doyon The loss of family members early in my life has been extremely difficult, and most recently I lost my dad to lung cancer and was with him til the end. I have been trying to figure out how to deal with death due to it being so much a part of my life. Most people will deal with loss at some point in their lifetime. The past two years have been depressing, complicated, and dark. In receiving two treasures last year, my dad's dog tags, and my grandmother's chandelier, it meant so much to me, my attitude, and my outlook on my own life. I felt their presence and their love all around me. I knew that others in my situation had to feel the same way. If so, I wanted to help. So that became my mission....to help others talk about their loved ones who have passed and to tell their stories of their own personal keepsakes. Our military is very precious to me. We owe so much to our veterans that have served and protected our country. So this became my theme of my second book. People were so excited, emotional, happy, and sad all in one, but it was all good. We laughed and cried talking about memories and stories of loved ones. Sometimes, those feeling are buried deep down due to the crazy hectic lives we all live, and sometimes it just hurts too much to think or talk about. Everyone's comments were so supportive and positive. It really became a healing to all and made people feel good. So, in this hectic life, I have decided to run a series of books titled "Unforgettable Faces and Stories". We all need to stop and think about people in our lives, both past and present, and stories of those unforgettable magic moments. Eileen Doyon grew up in the small town of Fort Edward in upstate New York. She left there in 1978 and now lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. She enjoys gardening and traveling on her motorcycle visiting new places, familiar places, and meeting new friends. She is a member of Pease Greeters in Portsmouth. Eileen Doyon’s series is Unforgettable Faces and Stories. She has released five books, Dedications: Dads and Daughters/2013, Keepsakes; Treasures from the Heart/2013, Best Friends: Forever and Ever/2013, Pet Tales: Unconditional Love/2014 listed on Amazons Best Sellers list, and most recently, Letters To Heaven, also listed on Amazons Best Sellers list. Eileen Doyon’s series is Unforgettable Faces and Stories. She has released five books, Dedications: Dads and Daughters/2013, Keepsakes; Treasures from the Heart/2013, Best Friends: Forever and Ever/2013, Pet Tales: Unconditional Love/2014 listed on Amazons Best Sellers list, and most recently, Letters To Heaven, also listed on Amazons Best Sellers list. Please visit her website www.UnforgettableFacesandStories.com and join her FaceBook page Unforgettable Faces And Stories and follow her on Twitter @FacesandStories
I'm Grieving, Now What?