back and forth

Written by

Jana

in


When my little ones were truly little, I had a favorite chair
a rocker that I found at ‘The Giving Spot’
(a place where things were left that needed a new home)

I’d just birthed my son and I wanted a rocker for nursing him
This chair was old, an antique
Some chips in the paint, one arm a bit loose
But it still had life left in it

We rocked and we rocked.

Probably an hour or more together per day
Not to mention my solo rocking as I read and crocheted
and dreamed

We gave that chair away about five years ago
There just wasn’t room for it anymore
And it was more than a bit shabby-looking
and in need of fixing beyond my dabs of wood glue

For some reason I was looking at some ads on craigslist yesterday
And I happened upon a photo of a rocking chair
Not the same chair, but the same chair

And now its mine. For my porch.
When I first sat in it this afternoon
And rocked
I sang my special (made up in my head and sung just for them) lullabys for the kids
Watching with delight as they remembered
what they’d not even known that they had forgotten.

Comments

2 responses to “back and forth”

  1. Wild Horses Avatar
    Wild Horses

    Jana, I, too, have rocking chair memories. We just reorganized our living room, which meant we had to find a new location for my rocking chair. As the thought flashed in my mind that perhaps I no longer needed it, I was simultaneously flooded with memories of nursing, rocking, and cuddling my little babies. Until that moment I hadn’t realized that my chair carried so much sentimental value. We moved it into my bedroom, and my kids and I are going to enjoy a few more years of rocking and cuddling before I let it go.

    Reply
  2. Sara Avatar
    Sara

    At a swap meet long ago, I bought an antique rocking chair much in the style of the one pictured from a lady who had been nursed in it and had in turn nursed her own child in it, but was moving and couldn’t bring it along. I promised to take care of it, and even told her that if she ever headed back that way and decided she wanted to buy it back, I’d keep that option open for her.

    Sadly, due to dire extremities, I myself ended up having to leave it behind somewhere, and I have always felt terrible about that. Thank you for this post which gives me hope that maybe that particular circle doesn’t ever get broken after all.

    Reply

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