Now I lay me down to sleep . . .

Long ago, I was taught this everybody-knows-it bedtime prayer.  I always thought it a bit scary, though.

And, like many "traditional" prayers, it has become so common that we tend to just zip right through it by rote memory.  That's a little scary, too.

How sincere might any prayer be when it takes just seconds to recite and then, moments later, you might not even remember saying it?


Once acknowledging this issue, I've tried to slow down by spending a few moments with each phrase before moving on to the next.  Reflecting on each small piece introduces imagination and thought making prayer more real, more relevant and, of course, more sincere.

It allows for the time required to bring the reflections of each day, each situation and emotion into the prayer itself. And, because of the uniqueness of each day, the prayer can no longer be repetitious, boring or insincere.

I haven't recited "now I lay me down to sleep" in quite a while preferring to substitute others in its place. The video clip represents one of my current discoveries - A Thanksgiving Prayer by Vienna Cobb Anderson.  

Attempts to keep this video short fell, well, short.

Watch this if you've got an extra 6-7 minutes.  It's an example of what you can do in your own mind next time you pray.