此外，植物的成長也提供我學習課題。我們買了一個百合花球根，養在陽光充足的窗邊。不久後，青蔥的芽尖就露出開頭的徵兆。苗條的葉子在外面像手指張開，進度很慢；我想，這當是不情願暴露它內藏的美好。可是，一旦有了開始，這個開頭的進程就會遵照天命的系統安排，按部就班，迅速運行。總是會有一支葉芽比其他的大且美麗，它將前端的外罩更炫耀的向後包回延展；似是這種輕柔光亮的美麗，了解自己是具有完全神授的純潔女王，那時她膽怯的姐妹們害羞的搖晃綠色的頭巾向她致敬，直到整個植栽變成獨幟一枝，搖曳，芬芳可愛。 

窗邊一個養有許多植物的圓形玻璃缸裡，曾經有十一隻蝌蚪；我還記得我是如何熱切的對它們做各種探索。用手探進缸裡去觸摸到處蹦跳的蝌蚪，或讓它們在手心中滑行在手指間滑落，是非常快樂美妙的事。有一天，有一較具勃勃野心的傢伙跳出玻璃缸對它的拘限，跌落地板；我在那裡找到它已懨懨一息，僅有的生命跡象只是尾巴的輕微蠕動。但是，一把牠放回原來的自然環境，它就向水底猛衝，活潑敏捷，快快樂樂的游來游去。它曾經跳躍過，看了偉大的世界，然後滿足的待在小蒼蘭樹茂密枝葉下的可愛溫室，直到它變成一隻尊貴的青蛙。後來，它住在花園盡頭一個草木茂密環繞的水塘；夏日的夜晚裡，我常能聽到它以古雅、奇特、有趣的聲音，歡唱情歌。  

我就是這樣從生命本身學習，汲取教訓。一開始我只是一小團可能性，全賴我老師將我的可能性打開和發展。她一來，發生在我生活中的一切事物都讓我喜愛、愉快，而且充滿意義。從那時起，她決不錯過任何一次機會，指教我認識萬事萬物中都有的優點；她也從來不感到厭倦，始終盡可能以思想、行動和榜樣教導我，使我贏得生命的甜美和意義。 

Again, it was the growth of a plant that furnished the text for a lesson. We bought a lily and set it in a sunny window. Very soon the green, pointed buds showed signs of opening. The slender, fingerlike leaves on the outside opened slowly, reluctant, I thought, to reveal the loveliness they hid; once having made a start, however, the opening process went on rapidly, but in order and systematically. There was always one bud larger and more beautiful than the rest, which pushed her outer covering back with more pomp, as if the beauty in soft, silky robes knew that she was the lily-queen by right divine, while her more timid sisters doffed their green hoods shyly, until the whole plant was one nodding bough of loveliness and fragrance.  

Once there were eleven tadpoles in a glass globe set in a window full of plants. I remember the eagerness with which I made discoveries about them. It was great fun to plunge my hand into the bowl and feel the tadpoles frisk about, and to let them slip and slide between my fingers. One day a more ambitious fellow leaped beyond the edge of the bowl and fell on the floor, where I found him to all appearance more dead than alive. The only sign of life was a slight wriggling of his tail. But no sooner had he returned to his element than he darted to the bottom, swimming round and round in joyous activity. He had made his leap, he had seen the great world, and was content to stay in his pretty glass house under the big fuchsia tree until he attained the dignity of froghood. Then he went to live in the leafy pool at the end of the garden, where he made the summer nights musical with his quaint love-song.  

Thus I learned from life itself. At the beginning I was only a little mass of possibilities. It was my teacher who unfolded and developed them. When she came, everything about me breathed of love and joy and was full of meaning. She has never since let pass an opportunity to point out the beauty that is in everything, nor has she ceased trying in thought and action and example to make my life sweet and useful.