--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: That night, before he tried to sleep…" description: "\"“That night, before he tried to sleep, Louie prayed. He had prayed only once before in his life, in childhood, when his mother was sick and he had been..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/laura-hillenbrand-3813_children_that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-loui_482827.png" --- # That night, before he tried to sleep, Louie prayed. He had… ![“That night, before he tried to sleep, Louie prayed. He had prayed only once before in his life, in childhood, when his mother was sick and he had been filled with a rushing fear that he would lose her. That night on the raft, in words composed in his head, never passing his lips, he pleaded for…” quote by Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/laura-hillenbrand-3813_children_that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-loui_482827.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/laura-hillenbrand-3813_children_that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-loui_482827.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/laura-hillenbrand-3813_children_that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-loui_482827.png) > ““That night, before he tried to sleep, Louie prayed. He had prayed only once before in his life, in childhood, when his mother was sick and he had been filled with a rushing fear that he would lose her. That night on the raft, in words composed in his head, never passing his lips, he pleaded for help.”” [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A desperate man silently prays for help during a life‑threatening moment, reflecting deep fear and hope. **In simple terms:** He prayed quietly for rescue. Key Takeaway Acknowledge fear and seek hope. Themes faith fear hope Mood introspective solemn Type literary narrative When to use this quote - facing danger - overcoming illness - loneliness Key Concepts spiritual pleading inner conflict Questions to Reflect On - When have you turned to quiet prayer? - How does fear shape your belief? A Different Perspective Silent prayer may not change outcomes without action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) ## Related quotes > [“ Hunter. If he was alive, Loretta knew he would come after her. And he had to be alive. She couldn’t bear it if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/hunter-if-he-was-alive-loretta-knew-he-would-come-after-her-and-he/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [“So she prayed. She prayed she'd been right when she told herself something good and decent lived inside this man. Mostly, though, she prayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loree-lough/so-she-prayed-she-prayed-she-d-been-right-when-she-told-herself/) [Loree Lough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loree-lough/) > [“ Hunter. If he was alive, Loretta knew he would come after her. And he had to be alive. She couldn’t bear it if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-anderson/hunter-if-he-was-alive-loretta-knew-he-would-come-after-her-and-he-2/) [Catherine Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-anderson/) > [When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-pray-for-others-god-listens-to-you-and-blesses-them-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Are you all right?'' I nodded my damn chicken head and prayed prayed like the world and all the victims of war, famine, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecy-robson/are-you-all-right-i-nodded-my-damn-chicken-head-and-prayed-prayed/) [Cecy Robson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecy-robson/) > [I never thought my marriage could be stronger, or I could be closer to Bill. We prayed on our own, but now we prayed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giuliana-rancic/i-never-thought-my-marriage-could-be-stronger-or-i-could-be-closer-to/) [Giuliana Rancic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giuliana-rancic/) > [“Nothing prayed for – it is life’s strictest and least graceful rule – comes to you at the time of praying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-fry/nothing-prayed-for-it-is-life-s-strictest-and-least-graceful-rule/) [Stephen Fry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-fry/) > [“She closed her eyes and prayed, prayed that he may still run after her and tell her to come back. He didn't and she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soroosh-shahrivar/she-closed-her-eyes-and-prayed-prayed-that-he-may-still-run-after-her/) [Soroosh Shahrivar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soroosh-shahrivar/) > [“I prayed that our growth would be as strong and determined as the seeds of coconut palms, boldly reaching skyward toward the sun diligently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-nhambu/i-prayed-that-our-growth-would-be-as-strong-and-determined-as-the/) [Maria Nhambu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-nhambu/) > [We must learn to let go, to give up, to make room for the things we have prayed for and desired.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fillmore/we-must-learn-to-let-go-to-give-up-to-make-room-for-the-things-we/) [Charles Fillmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fillmore/) > [“At the time, I prayed to God only intermittently, and then mainly to ask for things, such as: “Please let me get an A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-martin/at-the-time-i-prayed-to-god-only-intermittently-and-then-mainly-to/) [James Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-martin/) > [“And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-j-morgan/and-when-they-had-prayed-the-place-where-they-were-assembled-together/) [Robert J. Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-j-morgan/) > [In the beginning, people prayed to the Creatress of Life, the Mistress of Heaven. At the very dawn of religion, God was a woman.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merlin-stone/in-the-beginning-people-prayed-to-the-creatress-of-life-the-mistress/) [Merlin Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/merlin-stone/) > [“She prayed for that all through the night, uncertain to Whom or what, but with a feeling that almost resembled faith.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-jordan/she-prayed-for-that-all-through-the-night-uncertain-to-whom-or-what/) [Hillary Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-jordan/) > [“However, as he began his prayer, she couldn’t think about anything but the warm pressure of his hands against hers. His fingers were strong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jody-hedlund/however-as-he-began-his-prayer-she-couldn-t-think-about-anything-but/) [Jody Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jody-hedlund/) ## More by Laura Hillenbrand > [The paradox of vengefulness is that it makes men dependent upon those who have harmed them, believing that their release from pain will come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/the-paradox-of-vengefulness-is-that-it-makes-men-dependent-upon-those/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“The racehorse, by virtue of his awesome physical gifts, freed the jockey from himself. When a horse and a jockey flew over the track…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/the-racehorse-by-virtue-of-his-awesome-physical-gifts-freed-the/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“It was not a great presence but a great absence, a geometric ocean of darkness that seemed to swallow heaven itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/it-was-not-a-great-presence-but-a-great-absence-a-geometric-ocean-of/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“In September 1942, a B-17 crashed in the Pacific, stranding nine men on a raft. Within a few days, one had died and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/in-september-1942-a-b-17-crashed-in-the-pacific-stranding-nine-men-on/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“What God asks of men, said Graham, is faith. His invisibility is the truest test of that faith. To know who sees him, God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/what-god-asks-of-men-said-graham-is-faith-his-invisibility-is-the/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [Louie and Seabiscuit were both Californians and both on the sports pages in the 1930s. I was fascinated. When I learned about his World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/louie-and-seabiscuit-were-both-californians-and-both-on-the-sports/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“Though the captives' resistance was dangerous, through such acts, dignity was preserved, and through dignity, life itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/though-the-captives-resistance-was-dangerous-through-such-acts/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“Each of his workouts was attended by ten thousand or more spectators.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/each-of-his-workouts-was-attended-by-ten-thousand-or-more-spectators/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“We figure he is the people’s horse, and we propose to train him in the open.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/we-figure-he-is-the-people-s-horse-and-we-propose-to-train-him-in-the/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“Wonderful?" wrote J.O. Young in his diary. "To stand cheering, crying, waving your hat and acting like a damn fool in general. No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/wonderful-wrote-j-o-young-in-his-diary-to-stand-cheering-crying/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“Stories of cannibalism among castaways were so common that British sailors considered the practice of choosing and sacrificing a victim to be an established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/stories-of-cannibalism-among-castaways-were-so-common-that-british/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [I have vertigo. Vertigo makes it feel like the floor is pitching up and down. Things seem to be spinning. It's like standing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/i-have-vertigo-vertigo-makes-it-feel-like-the-floor-is-pitching-up/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“But on Kwajalein, the guards sought to deprive them of something that had sustained them even as all else had been lost: dignity. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/but-on-kwajalein-the-guards-sought-to-deprive-them-of-something-that/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [My illness is excruciating and difficult to cope with. It takes over your entire life and causes more suffering than I can describe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/my-illness-is-excruciating-and-difficult-to-cope-with-it-takes-over/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) > [“I can't describe the feeling he gave me," Howard said later, "but somehow I knew he had what it takes. Tom and I realized…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/i-can-t-describe-the-feeling-he-gave-me-howard-said-later-but-somehow/) [Laura Hillenbrand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) [Explore all 121 Laura Hillenbrand quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. You are surrounded by nature - cats, dogs, birds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amala-akkineni/my-school-was-one-of-the-most-beautiful-places-a-child-can-grow-up-in/) [Amala Akkineni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amala-akkineni/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [As a child, I had a lot of older gay men taking care of me. There's a trust there. I feel like little girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-cho/as-a-child-i-had-a-lot-of-older-gay-men-taking-care-of-me-there-s-a/) [Margaret Cho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-cho/) > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“That night, before he tried to sleep, Louie prayed. He had prayed only once before in his life, in childhood, when his mother was sick and he had been filled with a rushing fear that he would lose her. That night on the raft, in words composed in his head, never passing his lips, he pleaded for help.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laura Hillenbrand" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-louie-prayed-he-had-prayed-only/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Children" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-louie-prayed-he-had-prayed-only/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/laura-hillenbrand-3813_children_that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-loui_482827.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/laura-hillenbrand-3813_children_that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-loui_482827.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/99e/laura-hillenbrand-3813_children_that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-loui_482827.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“That night, before he tried to sleep, Louie prayed. He had prayed only once before in his life, in…” — Laura Hillenbrand", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Laura Hillenbrand", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-hillenbrand/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“That night, before he tried to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-louie-prayed-he-had-prayed-only/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-hillenbrand/that-night-before-he-tried-to-sleep-louie-prayed-he-had-prayed-only/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```