The Hand That Rocks The Cradle Is The Hand That Rules The World

Berthe Morisot (1841-1895)The Cradle1872Paris, Musée d'Orsay © photo RMN

http://www.musee-orsay.fr

the hand that rocks the cradle Is the hand that rules the world

Blessings on the hand of women!

Angels guard its strength and grace,

In the palace, cottage, hovel,

Oh, no matter where the place;

Would that never storms assailed it,

Rainbows ever gently curled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Infancy's the tender fountain,

Power may with beauty flow,

Mother's first to guide the streamlets,

From them souls unresting grow

Grow on for the good or evil,

Sunshine streamed or evil hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

Woman, how divine your mission

Here upon our natal sod!

Keep, oh, keep the young heart open

Always to the breath of God!

All true trophies of the ages

Are from mother-love impearled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world

Blessings on the hand of women!

Fathers, sons, and daughters cry,

And the sacred song is mingled

With the worship in the sky-

Mingles where no tempest darkens,

Rainbows evermore are hurled;

For the hand that rocks the cradle

Is the hand that rules the world.

William Ross Wallace 1865

As Mother's Day approaches, may we all remember these words. They have proven so true throughout history. Thanks to http://www.theotherpages.org/poems/wallace1.html for saving the poem for us and may all of us as mothers remember that our actions today help to instill what our children will be tomorrow. I myself get moved over and over to remember William Wallace's words on our divine mission as women to instill an openness to God for our children. May we not be stumbling blocks and hypocrites in our children's lives and "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." as Proverbs 22:6 says.