The Power of Childhood Prayer

Now I lay me down to sleep-
I prayer the Lord my soul to keep-
If I should die before I wake -
I pray the Lord my soul to take.
I love you dear God; please don't let me have nightmares or bad dreams.
Please bless Mama, Daddy, Ellen Scott, Maruka, Grandpa, Mimi and Bill.
Don't let __ (insert name of dog here) __ get run over.
Good night. Amen.


From the time I can first remember until I was in middle school (when I transitioned "upgrades" into the content), I said this same prayer every night at bedtime. One of the most important  lines was "I love you dear God; please don't let me have nightmares or bad dreams." Looking back on that line, I find it somehow touching that I differentiated between "bad dreams" & "nightmares" and that this was such a concern that it merited special mention every night. Although several "upgrades" have been transitioned in throughout my life, the basic format of the prayer remains the same. Oh , and even though that line was dropped in middle school, I rarely had/have nightmares or bad dreams - so apparently that prayer is being answered even today.  I love you dear God.