his mother one morning too ill to answer his many questions. 'Mama cannot
talk to you to-day, Philip, she has a severe headache.' He quietly closed
the door and soon there was a mysterious bumping and moving about of the
heavy furniture in the next room. Soon it all was still, then the door was
gently opened and little Philip tiptoed to his mother's bed and whispered,
'Mama, I have straightened the furniture and tidied up the room; is your
headache better?'

"A little three-year-old boy running rapidly stumbled and bumped his head
severely against the trunk of a tree. Loud cries of pain at once arose, but
his little brother took him by the arm and pushed him with all his might
towards his mother, saying in the most reassuring tone imaginable, 'Run to
mama, Ned, run to mama, she'll kiss it and make it well. Please run to her
quick.' 'Perfect love casteth out all fear.' Surely the wise mother can
devise a thousand ways by which to kindle the flame of love in her child
until her fond dreams for the little ones are transformed into living
realities. But the doubter may remark, 'What if I ask my child to do
something for me and he refuses or begins to make excuses or asks why his
brother can't do it?' You have simply mistaken the time for stretching the
young soul's wings. Begin the training when the child is in the loving mood
and you will rarely fail to get the desired response; yet, if need be,
command the performance of the deed, so that by repeated doing the selfish
heart may at length learn the pleasure of unselfishness and thus enter into
the joy of true living."

Let parents take this motto to heart: _Trust not the physical love of your
child, but seek to transform it into that higher love which manifests
itself in service. The real love of your child is measured by the extent to
which he will sacrifice his own comfort and pleasure to serve you_.