Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdick related a story from his own childhood. His father had said to his mother, upon leaving the house one Saturday in the morning hours: "Tell Harry that he can cut the grass today, if he feels like it."

Then, halfway down the walk, his father turned once more to add: "And tell Harry that he had better feel like it."

Well, in its own rather humorous way, there is something essential about life wrapped up in that.…