1 of 7

Write now Article Tools

As long as man has had porches, he's had rocking chairs sitting on 'em. It's one of the few things that all sectors of this nation have in common. From large mansions to little shacks, and all dwellings in between ... you can find a rocking chair.

Before mankind became so consumed with digital media, there were other ways to spend free time. One requirement of this alternative entertainment was that it took place for the most part outside. So, to have a rest stop (rocking chair) on the porch was only natural.

Although a lot of rockers you find nowadays are simply for decoration or ambiance, I find a lot of comfort in seeing this tradition live on. I believe I was born a hundred years too late, and would have fit right in when the rocker was used as intended.

I think it's a throwback to simpler times that triggers a release of endorphins in our overworked brains. We have complicated our lives so much with nonsense that we forget what is truly important. Be still, and let God move your heart.

There is something about a rocking chair that forces you to relax. You can be all out of sorts from a bad day, fresh from a road rage incident, or an argument with your spouse, and a good rock will set things straight.

On top of that, rocking chairs are good looking, tall and sturdy reminders of our past, when old men and women would sit and talk and rock. All the while as little children played around their feet, each unaware of what the other was doing. And a good place to take a nap at lunchtime after a hard morning of plowing.

And what better a place for a mother to lull a baby to sleep, or nurse a hungry one. Or to read a book to a tiny one, as you gently rock an afternoon away.

Even sitting empty, rocking chairs command our attention. They can rock on their own with a gentle breeze, or offer a cat or small dog a quiet place to take a nap. More than a few have been overturned at the hands of little boys, usually by seeing who could rock the hardest.

As long as there's folks who want to stay in touch with the past, there will be rocking chairs. And personally, I say it's a good thing.

Learn more about this author, Marty Alan McGill.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Add your voice

Know something about Why rocking chairs are the quintessential piece of porch furniture?
We want to hear your view. Write now!