The Empty Rocking Chair

Being a wife and mother is a busy and demanding role. I place all sorts of personal expectations on myself-most of which I never meet. This past week my little baby girl got a cold. I suddenly began setting everything else aside to hold, and coddle her. It was then that I realized, motherhood had become a responsibility to me--not an enjoyment. Other people enjoyed my baby. They held her, played with her, cooed with her, and admired her pretty blue eyes. I did what a good mother should do, I changed her diaper, bathed her, fed her, put her to bed, read books to her, played peek-a-boo and patty-cake, and kept her with me and talked to her while I worked around the house. But had not stopped taking the time to just hold her. Oh, I held her a lot the first few weeks of her existence, but it wasn't long until I looked forward to her nap time so could get things done. I had reasoned myself out of rocking her. The doctor said it was good for her to be able to put herself to sleep without rocking. I didn't want her to get too attached to me rocking her that she wouldn't go to sleep for anyone else. It might be hard on her back...


Last week changed my perspective. I rocked her to sleep for the first time since she was two months old, then I held her and watched her sleep. It was then that I realized, I had been so busy being a mother to her, that I had neglected to simply stop, enjoy her, and soak up her essence. She is six months old now and just beginning to crawl. The time I have had with her on earth to this point has already fled from me. Before long, she will be too old to hold on my lap while I rock her to sleep. I have made a decision to treasure every moment I have with her and make the most of them-even if it means doing absolutely nothing for an hour but hold her while she takes her afternoon nap. Since then, I have made it a habit to rock her and hold her during her afternoon naps. She is too little for there to be an empty rocking chair in our home. The time will come soon enough for that.


Life is short and fleeting. We are wise to enjoy the people the Lord has placed in our lives while we can--whether it be grandparents, parents, children, spouses, or grandchildren. Every moment we have to share with them is first a treasure-duty comes second.