“The Little Prince” is a fable and modern classic published in 1943 and written by the French author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, that won the hearts of readers over the years.
What I find the most captivating about it is the fact that it becomes even more relatable with time, being the kind of book that truly speaks to your soul.
It tells the story of a young aviator who has a plane crash in the middle of the desert, where he meets a boy, that he will call “the little prince”, who comes from another planet. The two connect with each other while sharing their journey experiences and traveling in the desert together and these are the ways their story reminds us about meaningful living:
It reminds us not to lose the childhood innocence while growing up
One of the main subjects of the book is the importance of remaining open-minded and playful even though we grow up. The little prince tells the pilot how he encountered a variety of types of grown-ups before arriving on Earth, and how they were all reduced to a function and just really sad and lonely.
“All grown-ups were once children… but only few of them remember it.”
The narrator also opens the book by recalling a memory of his childhood when he drew an elephant eaten by a snake, but all the grown-ups around him could only see, was a hat.
They also told him to leave aside the drawing and focus on a more serious activity. This can be a reminder that we should never lose our spirit of imagination and freedom that we had so naturally as children.
It reminds us of the importance of meaningful connections
I think one of the most memorable encounters of the little prince along his journey is the one with the fox. The unexpected friendship that bonded them was very strong and sincere, even though it didn’t last for long. At first, the little prince doesn’t really know what means a true connection is, but with the help of the fox, he comes to understand how precious it is.
“And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me.”
Another valuable thing he learns from it is that a true connection takes time and patience in gaining the trust and getting to really know the other. Even though their friendship needed to end, the little prince learns one more time, that what is really important is that he had the chance to feel such a beautiful connection which will always be an important part of his soul.
It reminds us how to enjoy the little things
On his small planet, the little prince has fallen in love with a rose that he thought was unique in the universe.
After arriving on Earth, he finds out that there are many other flowers just like her, but his fox friend also teaches him that what makes his rose unique is the time and the effort he put in taking care of her.
“If someone loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars.”
The little prince then understands that people could have a thousand flowers and not be happy, but he could be the happiest with just one, reminding us about the importance of appreciating even the little things in our lives and making the best of it.
