The garden

[Red Squirrel]

By Jean Fleming

The nineteenth-century English poet, Coleridge, told of a time when he was
talking with a man who told him he did not believe in giving little
children any religious instruction.

Now the man's theory was that a child's mind should not be prejudiced in any
direction, toward religion or away from it.

He surmised that when the child reached the years of discernment, he should
be permitted to choose his own religious pursuits.

After the man's declaration Coleridge said nothing.

After awhile he asked his visitor if he would like to tour his garden. When
the visitor answered yes, Coleridge took him out to the garden. There were
only weeds growing. The visitor looked at Coleridge in surprise. "What kind
of garden is this? There is nothing growing but weeds!"

Coleridge answered, "I did not wish to infringe upon the liberty of the
garden in any way. I was just giving the garden a chance to express itself
and to choose its own production."


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