The Little Prince - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

What is essential is invisible to the eye...

As a required reading in one of my subjects, we are to read The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Defying the odds of office ethics, I took the liberty to make a print out of a copy out of our office supplies - although my attention was called by my colleague, but, I do not have any choice but to shrug it off.

Nevertheless, as I read the book, I ended up crying in the wee hours of midnight with several realizations that made my heart broke. I do not wish to dwell on the sublime message of this book just yet, perhaps a separate post will suffice. However, I feel that it is my duty to impart to everyone the various immemorial lines I must say for everyone to reflect into their selves. I may not be able to highlight everything, but please, feel free to bring the same to my attention so that we may all be able to include it here.

All men have the stars...but they are not the same things for different people.

One runs the risk of weeping a little, if one lets himself be tamed.

The house, the stars, the desert - what gives them their beauty is something that is invisible.

One only understands the things that one tame...Men have no more time to understand anything...But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship.

When you find a diamond that belongs to nobody, it is yours.

For, to conceited men, all other men are admirers.

One much require from each the duty which eanh one can perform...Accepted authority rests first of all on reason.

Don't linger like this. You have decided to go away. Now go! For she did not want him to see her crying. She was such a proud flower.

Of course I love you, the flower said to him. It is my fault that you have not known it all the while.

The fact is that I did not know how to understand anything! I ought to have judged by deeds and not by words.

The fowers have been growing thorns for millions of years. For millions of years the sheep have been eating them just the same. And is it not a matter of consequence to try to understand why the flowers go to so much trouble to grow thorns which are never of any use to them?

It is a question of discipline...When you've finished your toilet in the morning, then it is time to attend to the toilet of your planet, just so, with the greatest care.

Children should always show great forbearnce toward grown-up people. But, certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference.

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...you - only you will have the stars that can laugh!

 

...in case you travel some day to the African desert. And, if you should come upon this spot, please do not hurry on. Wait for a time, exactly under the star. Then, if a little man appears who laughs, who has golden hair and who refuses to answer questions, you will know who he is. If this should happen, please comfort me. Send me word that he has come back.