What Were We Thinking?
As I stared at the basket I shook my head in wonder. What were we thinking? This was our daughter’s car bed from 39 years ago. It was made by the aboriginal people of the Maritimes. We had bought it in Fredericton, New Brunswick when we lived there – the place that our first daughter was born.
Dana had slept many miles in this bed as a wee baby. Then when her sister Anda arrived, a year and a half later, this was her bed as well. They both had spent many long and hot days in that basket going everywhere we went.
The basket is long enough to wedge between the back and front seat. We usually placed it close enough to Alida’s passenger side so mommy could turn around and help the little one in her basket. She didn’t need to undo her seat belt – because none of the cars we had during those times ever had seat belts. In those early days, when Alida was nursing the girls, it was so easy to reach around retrieve the baby and bring her to the front seat. The travel was uninterrupted and we could go for long distances without stopping.
In the present day and age with the laws now enacted for our children’s protection – the use of car seats is wide spread and compulsory – almost everywhere in the world. You cannot even bring the baby home from the hospital without an approved seat in place. There was one point as the law brought into play – the hospital in some places even checked to see if parents had the proper equipment in place. Today it is a given. Even grandparents picking up visiting grandchildren at the airport MUST have the seats in place for their grandkids.
What were we ever thinking to not know that a dumb basket would not protect our girls in a potential accident?
The basket however was somewhat secure compared to other methods. Many other families simply laid the kids on the seat snuggled between roll of blankets. The basket provided that the child would not roll off the seat when you stopped suddenly – which did happen. Dana and then Anda stayed secure in one place many times. Then when we got out of the car the basket had convenient handles in the sides to carry the baby where ever we went to the park. In the park the top of the basket was protected with a mosquito netting so each of them was safe from bites.
As I held the basket yesterday – having taken it from storage to find another safe place for it – I realized our folly. It was not the safety issues that brought amazement to my mind – it is the nostalgia. We have kept this basket for 39 years – having bought it exactly this same week 39 years ago. We have moved dozens of times in our 40 years of marriage and the basket has gone with us – EVERYWHERE! I lifted it one more time yesterday. What were we thinking – in keeping this crazy basket for 39 long years?!
As I held it yesterday and put it on my hip again the way I used to – I had flash backs like you wouldn’t believe. There I was young again. I was a young father carrying his beautiful daughter out to the car for a safe ride in her new bed. We were heading home from the hospital. We were heading to the park for a cool picnic. We were a brand new family. It seemed as I touched the basket again – all those great times came alive again.
What were we thinking as young parents? We were thinking how much we loved these two special little girls. Boy of boy were we ever in love with all that we had and were blessed with.
What were we thinking about keeping this old basket so long and treating it with such care? Well we loved those times and can’t give them up that easily. The basket is a powerful reminder of my fatherhood and care for my girls. When Alida says that she wants to keep it – I agree and find another safe place for this precious antique.
The basket links us to a special time in our lives.
What were we thinking? We were thinking that we were madly in love and were now blessed with a brand new family.
Yesterday I saw a daddy with his little one in “The Home Depot”. There in the top of the shopping cart was his three month old baby boy snuggled into a brand new car seat. Mommy wasn’t there. Daddy had taken his son to an important place – tool heaven. Together they were doing “man stuff”.
When I came home I went over to the basket and picked it up one more time. Yes that is what I was thinking – and I am glad that I kept it for Alida.
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
Dana had slept many miles in this bed as a wee baby. Then when her sister Anda arrived, a year and a half later, this was her bed as well. They both had spent many long and hot days in that basket going everywhere we went.
The basket is long enough to wedge between the back and front seat. We usually placed it close enough to Alida’s passenger side so mommy could turn around and help the little one in her basket. She didn’t need to undo her seat belt – because none of the cars we had during those times ever had seat belts. In those early days, when Alida was nursing the girls, it was so easy to reach around retrieve the baby and bring her to the front seat. The travel was uninterrupted and we could go for long distances without stopping.
In the present day and age with the laws now enacted for our children’s protection – the use of car seats is wide spread and compulsory – almost everywhere in the world. You cannot even bring the baby home from the hospital without an approved seat in place. There was one point as the law brought into play – the hospital in some places even checked to see if parents had the proper equipment in place. Today it is a given. Even grandparents picking up visiting grandchildren at the airport MUST have the seats in place for their grandkids.
What were we ever thinking to not know that a dumb basket would not protect our girls in a potential accident?
The basket however was somewhat secure compared to other methods. Many other families simply laid the kids on the seat snuggled between roll of blankets. The basket provided that the child would not roll off the seat when you stopped suddenly – which did happen. Dana and then Anda stayed secure in one place many times. Then when we got out of the car the basket had convenient handles in the sides to carry the baby where ever we went to the park. In the park the top of the basket was protected with a mosquito netting so each of them was safe from bites.
As I held the basket yesterday – having taken it from storage to find another safe place for it – I realized our folly. It was not the safety issues that brought amazement to my mind – it is the nostalgia. We have kept this basket for 39 years – having bought it exactly this same week 39 years ago. We have moved dozens of times in our 40 years of marriage and the basket has gone with us – EVERYWHERE! I lifted it one more time yesterday. What were we thinking – in keeping this crazy basket for 39 long years?!
As I held it yesterday and put it on my hip again the way I used to – I had flash backs like you wouldn’t believe. There I was young again. I was a young father carrying his beautiful daughter out to the car for a safe ride in her new bed. We were heading home from the hospital. We were heading to the park for a cool picnic. We were a brand new family. It seemed as I touched the basket again – all those great times came alive again.
What were we thinking as young parents? We were thinking how much we loved these two special little girls. Boy of boy were we ever in love with all that we had and were blessed with.
What were we thinking about keeping this old basket so long and treating it with such care? Well we loved those times and can’t give them up that easily. The basket is a powerful reminder of my fatherhood and care for my girls. When Alida says that she wants to keep it – I agree and find another safe place for this precious antique.
The basket links us to a special time in our lives.
What were we thinking? We were thinking that we were madly in love and were now blessed with a brand new family.
Yesterday I saw a daddy with his little one in “The Home Depot”. There in the top of the shopping cart was his three month old baby boy snuggled into a brand new car seat. Mommy wasn’t there. Daddy had taken his son to an important place – tool heaven. Together they were doing “man stuff”.
When I came home I went over to the basket and picked it up one more time. Yes that is what I was thinking – and I am glad that I kept it for Alida.
~ Pastor Murray Lincoln ~
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
1 Comments:
Kept it for Alida? Not even just a little bit of keeping it for yourself? We probably would have kept it as well, or at least I might have. How could you part with such an amazing treasure that floods back all those wonderful memories? Gee, can you tell that I am sentimental?
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