The holidays have always been my favorite time of year. I love Thanksgiving, Christmas, and ringing in the new year with my amazing family and friends more than the average person, but I can't help but get sad when the one person that you want to be there never will be again.

With Thanksgiving this week I'm so excited to see everyone and eat my aunt's amazing food, but I get sad when I think about how sad I'm going to be when I look at the head of the table in my dad's chair to find it empty, or even worse- with someone else sitting in it.

Because I'm away at school, it's easy to forget that my dad's not sitting at home waiting for me, but he isn't. That's going to be painfully clear when I go home soon and don't hear his laugh or his TV shows I used to complain about but watch anyway coming from the living room.

This is for all of you that feel guilty about enjoying the holidays when the one you love can't.

This is for all of you that dread the holidays because there's nothing to celebrate if you can't be together.

This is for all of you that cry instead of smile when thinking about the times you once loved.

This is for all of you that forget they can't come to the holidays.

This is for all of you.

This is to tell you to be sad. Cry. Get angry.

But let yourself enjoy it. I know it's hard but the food is still as delicious as it once was and your family wants to see you. I don't know about you, but my family is enormous, like insanely huge. We don't get to see each other as often as we'd like and Thanksgiving is one of our only chances to get together.

So yes I'm dreading seeing that empty chair at the table, but I'm trying to focus on being excited to see everyone that I can. I know that I'll regret moping around during the holidays when I should be treasuring the family I have left.

To the empty chair at the end of that table:

Thank you for seating my dad for 16 years of my life and 16 more before I was born.

Thank you for being a physical reminder of how many amazing memories I have with the best man that will ever be in my life.

Thank you for being atThanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving! Remember to be thankful for what you do have instead of being upset over what you don't.