Where to draw the line?

In the car this afternoon, we passed a little wooden cross by the side of the road, a sad reminder of the shortness of this life -- and a caution to be careful on the highway. I was alone in the car with the two little boys at the time, so led them in a short prayer: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Ghost. May their soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen."

"Amen," said the little boys, obediently. But, then Gabe asked, "Why'd we do that?"

I explained, in short, that we were praying for the soul of someone who had died there along the side of the road, probably in a car accident. He seemed to accept that explanation.

But, after a minute, he piped up, asking: "We should pray for animals, too, shouldn't we?"

"Well... Sure," I said," They're God's creatures."

Gabe, my little thinker, was quiet for a minute, working this out in his head, before he decided: "We should pray for Bigfoots."

And, William, obviously racing ahead on this train of thought added: "And the Boogeyman!"