Whoosh!

A former President of Boston University had a dog named “Clipper.” He was a mongrel, but he was a smart dog. He was easy to train, and he knew a lot of tricks. The best trick was one that involved cheese …

Of all the foods he ever tasted, Clipper loved cheese the most. The trick took place when Clipper’s master would place a piece of cheese on the dog’s front paws. Think of the temptation to this little fellow! The smell, the sight, it was all there within gulping range. But Clipper was a very smart little dog. His master would say to him, “Now Clipper, this cheese is given to you in trust” (meaning, “Don’t eat it!”). And that smart little pup would twist his head around as far as he could in order to get away from the temptation. Then, finally, when the word came, “Okay, Clipper, the cheese is yours”: Whoosh! the cheese would be gone.

It is often the case,…