A Tale of Two Chairs

Rocking my infant daughter to sleep last night, I pondered a tale of two chairs.

(This goes somewhere, I promise! Just hang in there.)

When first we found out about our impending little arrival, my grandmother gave us a beautiful antique rocking chair. A rocking chair is a must in any nursery and this one is exceptionally nice with lovely dark wood and detailed carvings.

The second chair in the room is a cheap, drab tan recliner that was purchased for sleeping purposes several years ago during a phase of excruciating sciatic nerve pain. I’m not one to spend money on something and then get rid of it when it’s no longer needed, so this chair has been shoved in a lonely corner unused for a time.

But that corner soon became the new baby’s room and, lacking any other corners into which it could be further shoved, the recliner remained

Initially, it was only supposed to stay put for the first few weeks of her life when sleepless nights were certain. However, she is approaching 5 months and still the recliner remains, and that is because the recliner has become my rocker of choice. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve even sat in the other rocker.

The reasons for my preference are simple: it’s comfortable; the arms are the perfect height and shape to support my elbow while nursing; and it kicks back when the baby refuses to be laid down and I need rest

It’s a bit of an eye sore in the room, but the recliner is just better suited to the job.

That situation is true in other matters as well. Often, the solution which is most effective is not necessarily the solution that is prettiest, classiest, highest-tech, and so on.

The point: Take a moment to think about the solution you’ve chosen. Did you pick it because it has a bigger wow factor, because it “looks better in the room?” If so, you might want to reconsider you options and make sure you’re not overlooking any “recliners.”

-Sarah, Emogen marketer