Yesterday I had a chance to "rid up." That's "put things away" if your're from Ohio where I was raised. I checked my dining room and decided there were too many chairs. I had to get rid of my rocker that had cradled all three of my children. (When we moved, I dragged it to our new small house for sentimental reasons.) I asked my husband if I could give it away and he said, "put it out in the trash." I rarely throw out good things, but It was almost too big for a car and I thought, just this once, I'd do that. It was still in good shape, an early American design of dark wood with an American eagle cusion tacked to the seat. My tastes changed about four years ago and now I like the Brittish Colonial look. So I got a rocker in that style for my living room. That meant that my old rocker was stuck in and crowded the dining room. When I put the chair out, I ran to get a piece of wood that belonged on the chair and rubberbanded it to the top post, hoping that if someone did pick this up from the trash, it would be complete. Then I said goodby and prayed a small prayer that someone would find it. Later my husband said, "It's gone." The chair had been taken, but the trash was still there. What joy. It found a new home, hopefully with little ones just waiting to hear lullabyes. But if someone just wants to rock and sing, or think, or relax, that's good, too. I am sentimental, but I saw all my children on Mother's Day. They are my joy. Yes, the old chair is gone, but it and the songs and my babies will always be home in my heart. Nancy