Loneliness with Chairs

by Andie Compton

In my younger years, I found myself in a room filled with chairs. These chairs were all sizes, shapes, colours, and even smells but they all had one similarity. They were empty. My whole childhood consisted of finding things to fill these empty seats. Dolls and stuffed animals were sustainable for a time but there’s only so much a piece of fabric or porcelain could do to console one.

Teenage years came along, and I turned bitter, angry. The chairs brought a sense of what I did not have: Family and community. Unable to find what I thought I needed during a time; I took my unhappiness out on others. Like a rabid dog, I let my teeth tear at flesh that had no sins related to my pain… Many suffered and so did I.

Finally, in my older years my chairs still stood, not all of them are empty. I found peace and happiness; I found family and community. I’ve taken up the rest of the empty chairs except for two. Every now and then you’ll watch my eyes drift to those seats, looking for the two that never got to experience what I have.