A Legacy of Lullabies and Love

In 1988, Stacey and her husband were on their way to a summer stay in Boothbay, Maine. Her husband, notorious for driving from point A to point B, making only necessary stops along the way, succumbed to the allure of Portland’s Old Port for a brief visit. Stacey, pregnant with their first child, welcomed the detour. As they strolled along the storied streets, they came upon the window of our Portland Showroom and stopped dead in their tracks. There sat a stunning cherry rocker that glowed in the late afternoon light. They came into the showroom and purchased the New Gloucester Rocker that would soothe their son and, later on, their daughter. 

Now, some 35 years later, her son is expecting his own children. Stacey always loved the handwritten notes her mother and father sent each other, and she wanted to create that kind of tangible object that told the story of the rocking chair, the trees, the craftsman, and their family history. For Christmas, she created a small book that would accompany the New Gloucester Rocker, telling her family’s story and the memories she made with her son while enjoying the rocking chair. The following two sections are edited excerpts from the book she created, “The Rocker, A Legacy of Lullabies and Love.”

The Tree, The woodsman, and The craftsman

In the Northeastern woods, a tall and strong, dark cherry tree grew. Nurtured by the brilliant sunlight and rain, the tree learned to move with the wind and snow. But beneath her rough, thick bark, she hid beauty yet to be seen. The woodsman knew when it was the tree’s time. She was felled, and her decades of growth were destined to be transformed by a craftsman. The craftsman, Dave Hamel, knew the story the tree held by reading the grain and following its movement. He knew the beauty that was yet to be seen. He perfectly matched the boards for the seat, each piece built with care and strength. With each pass of the craftsman’s hand — sanding, oiling, and polishing, the tree was transformed into the simple and elegant New Gloucester Rocker that we would sit, you nestled in my arms, and rock back and forth in.  

It’s Time to Go Home

As Stacey saw the chair basking in the sunlight, she knew the New Gloucester Rocker’s rightful home was with her son. He would soon experience all the same emotions she did as she rocked her son, cradled by the arms of the Rocker. He would now begin to make his memories within the chair’s comfort– secure in the Rocker that holds him as he holds his children.  

A Mother’s Prayer

As you make the rocker part of your family, take the time every now and again to reflect on the moments you rock your children or grandchildren in your arms— gently, quietly, back and forth.

I promise you’ll be grateful that you did.

Moments, thoughts, and love written down are not “something”; they are everything.

They are a tangible reminder of the voice, the heart, and the love behind them all. 

This is my legacy of lullabies and love. 

I love you, always and a day. 

Mom 

Upon completion of her book, Stacey shared her story with us, and we were honored to have played such a beautiful role in her family’s story. She generously shared copies of her book with us, hand-wrapped and individualized to the craftsman, Dave Hamel, and our team. These moments remind us that our customers are part of our extended family. That their stories are our stories, and the intertwining of their lives and our craft makes our work so meaningful.  

Each family has an heirloom that holds a special meaning. As Stacey says in her book, “With each use, she [the New Gloucester Rocker] gains a warmth that can only be deepened by a mother’s love.” These objects are the keepers of our memories; they are a tangible reminder of our stories, our love, and our legacy. 

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