That First Thanksgiving

There’s an empty chair at the table,
A missing voice in the song,
A smile that won’t light up the room now,
A stillness that lasts far too long.

There’s a guest room that’s missing its guest,
A hug with no one to hold,
An argument that’s only one-sided,
Old stories that must go untold.

There’s laughter that’s a bit too quiet,
Games with one too few players
A gap in the circle for the blessing,
A name that’s missing from our prayers.

Life’s road is short even at its longest,
And our loved ones leave us too soon.
The holidays exact a joyful song,
But our grief sings a different tune.

Though we’re sad and feel brokenhearted,
We can still give thanks to the Lord
For the life and the love we’re now missing,
And can trust in God’s excellent Word.

God still holds the one absent from us
In that realm of love, mercy, and grace.
The Risen Christ gives us hope for a thanksgiving Day
When once more we shall meet face to face.

David A. Douthett
November 2024

That First Thanksgiving © 2024 by David A. Douthett is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0