There will always be those of us who see life for what, in their "blind" view, it is. We are content to have a good job, to live in the lap of luxury, to drive a "look-at-me" automobile, to revel in the possessions of the material world.
We do not yearn to discover things unknown. We do not wonder why. We miss that which is essential all around us and, most importantly, within us. Why? Because one only truly "sees" with the heart. The essential is invisible to the eye.
Children are able to see with their hearts because they do not pass judgement. They love with purity and innocence. They give freely of themselves and expect nothing less of adults. But we, oh wise ones, with time, forget to use our hearts; we judge and see only with our eyes.
In "The Little Prince", this universal truth has a profound affect on the two main characters, namely, Antoine de Saint-Exupery (also the author), and the little prince. I was required to read this story in high school during my senior year of French and did not read the English translation until much later. I have to say, that I am partial to the original French, given the inherent beauty of the language.
On with the story...
When St. Ex, as he shall be referred to from this point on, was young, he was discouraged by the adults in his world from expressing himself through his art. His first masterpiece appeared to be a hat, as seen through the eyes of grownups. He tired of having always to explain his drawings to them, understandably so, to which any child can attest when drawings and pictures come home from Kindergarten and are placed on the fridge with little more than a "That's great, honey! What is it?" St. Ex's drawing was, in fact, a picture of a boa constrictor digesting an elephant, depicted in very simple pencil drawings in "The Little Prince."
St. Ex was altogether surprised one day, when after a plane crash in the Sahara Desert, he makes the acquaintance of a charming "small person, who stood there examining me with great seriousness." The little boy wished him to draw a sheep. But the sheep that were drawn were not like the ones that the little prince had envisioned. When St. Ex, exhausted from this exercise, finally draws what appears to be a simple box, explaining that the sheep he is looking for is inside the box, the little boy is delighted. "That is exactly the way I wanted it!"
Throughout this engaging story, the little prince, upon leaving his planet, travels to seven other planets, where he encounters such characters as a drunk, and a king, to name but two. He learns little from these experiences, other than the not-so-desirable traits of vanity and self-indulgence. It isn't until he meets an intelligent fox, that he learns the "Big Secret" of life and living, that of love and friendship, and he embarks on a journey to rekindle the unique bond he had had with a flower before leaving his planet.
He comes to realize that he had judged the flower by her (in his eyes), vain and selfish words. Perhaps, if he had seen the merits of her acts, he would have liked her more and would not have judged her so hastily.
Rich with his new-found insight, that "the essentials of life are invisible to the eye and can only be seen with the heart", the little prince courageously faces a figurative death, in search of his beloved flower. But, before he leaves, he gives a most valuable gift to St. Ex.
"...And at night you will look up at the stars...My star will just be one of the stars, for you...In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars were laughing, when you look at the sky at night...And when your sorrow is comforted,... you will be content that you have known me..."
And so St. Ex is able to reflect upon this remarkable little boy, and that which he learned from him, that we must imagine like a child, who is ever able to see, and believe, with his heart.
Is this a fairy tale, you ask? No, not in the traditional sense, at least. However, there are elements of such within, no doubt.
In any event, "The Little Prince" is a poetic statement on the loss of innocence in our adult world. It is by no means intended to be, I think, a philosophical bible of life. This fable leaves us with a lot to think about and shouldn't any good book do just that?!
I'll leave that decision up to you. In the meantime, here's to the little prince! Oh, what youth! Oh, what wisdom!
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