When I came to synagogue on Shabbat, my makom hakavua was occupied by a visitor who was unfamiliar with the congregation. The only other seat in the vicinity that was vacant was the makom hakavua of man who is temporarily out sick. I sat there because the only other options were quite far from my makom hakavua. While I was sitting there, I felt bad about taking up a sick man’s place. He was hospitalized last week and is recuperating at home. He has already made a full recovery, but did not come in today as a precaution. Are there any issues with sitting in the makom hakavua of someone you know is absent due to illness?