Young Danny was praying at Mother’s knee. “If I should die before I wake … If I should die.…”

“Go on, go on, Danny,” said his mother. “You know the rest of the prayer.”

“Wait a minute,” interrupted the small boy. Scrambling to his feet, he hurried downstairs. In a short time, he was back. Dropping to his knees once again, he took up the petition where he had left off.

Finally his mother questioned him about the episode and issued a loving rebuke. Danny explained: “Mom, I did think about what I was saying, but I had to stop and put all of Ted’s wooden soldiers on their feet. I knocked them down just to see how mad he’d be in the morning. If I should die before I wake, I wouldn’t want him to find them like that. Lots of things seem fun if you are gonna keep on living, but you don’t want them that way if you should die before you wake.”

“You’re right, dear,” said his mother with a quiver in her voice. She thought of herself and many other grown-ups who should have stopped in the middle of their prayers to undo some wrong against another before proceeding.