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 Baby
Bed
My
parents were young and inexperienced when they knew I was coming their
way. Though first time parents, they made sure they were well prepared
to welcome me to this world. They knew they needed a baby
bed. My dad had been working on constructing a sailboat, when
he found out that my mom was pregnant with me. He quickly abandoned his
original plans and began working on a new project of more pressing need
- he began building my bed. This baby bed was one of a kind
and absolutely beautiful, perhaps because it was done out of love. My
father took the time to make my cradle, his first genuine work of art.
He carefully measured the distances from their own bed to the cradle so
that it was within my mother’s arm reach, should I wake up
during the night. and would need a little rocking to soothe me back
into restful sleep. With a gentle nudge, the cradle would smoothly rock
back and forth, with no creaking or scraping, due to my father's
careful planning and workmanship. This baby bed was better
than anything that could be bought in stores. My father included
detailing and scrollwork that can only be the fruits of his love for
me. When I was born, my father knew that I would be a
difficult child and this wonderful cradle was a saving grace during the
long sleepless nights that eventually followed.
Even during the day,
when my mother would bring me down for a much needed nap, she would
place me in my little baby bed. The gentle movement and calming motion
was the only thing that had a chance of getting me to drift off to
sleep for a length of time – enough to make my mom find rest,
too! That sturdy cradle served its purpose during the early
years for me and my two sisters. Later on, my father built some other
pieces to match my cradle, however, today the only piece that remains
is a toy chest with my name and birth date carefully carved onto the
surface. I still use my toy chest to this day, as
my memory chest of childhood mementos. It's so beautiful that it
occupies a place of prominence in my living room for all to see and
admire. I often wonder what ever happened to my
wonderful baby bed. I am now a parent with two small children of my own
and I often wished to use that cradle for my own kids. That special
baby bed held the abilities to comfort and calm any crying baby who was
privileged enough to use it. The baby beds today
often lack the charm and quality my special baby cradle could offer.
For one, most baby beds today were mass produced by shops –
each piece, lacking the unconditional love of a father who tried to
offer nothing but the very best. Baby cradles are
made of whatever materials available, economical and hopefully,
flame-retardant. They feature functionality, designed to fit in with
any adult decors and often have bars to keep the babies from loitering
out. I am sure that today’s baby beds have safety features
– one that may have been lacking in my cradle – but
today’s beds aren’t as comforting as the homemade
one that I had - the fruit of my father’s
love. In today's fast-paced world, life seems
focused on what money can buy. People don't usually have the time to
even think about creating and building solutions for their friends and
loved ones, out of the sweat of their brows. What difference
it could have made to someone else’s life. What a lasting
testament could have been written in every child’s heart,
like my own, when my father wrote his first love letter to me in a
four-legged rocking baby bed!
Anyone can buy an item off the
shelf and present it as a gift, but the value of making something with
your hands is very special, exceptionally special when motivated by
love. The gift will be more appreciated and cherished, and the memories
could last a lifetime. What else could be better?
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