Mood: *sigh*
Currently listening to: BMV 147, 'Jesus bleibet meine Freude' (instrumental) - Bach, Johann Sebastian

"If some one loves a flower of which just one example exists among all the millions and millions of stars, that's enough to make him happy when he looks at the stars. He tells himself, "My flower's up there somewhere. . . ." But if the sheep eats the flower, then for him it's as if, suddenly, all the stars went out. And that isn't important?"

"Goodbye," said the fox. "Here is my secret. It's quite simple: One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes. . . . It's the time that you spent on your rose that makes your rose so important. . . . People have forgotten this truth," the fox said, "But you mustn't forget it. You become responsible for what you've tamed. You're responsible for your rose. . . ."

- Le Petit Prince

Nothing much of note has happened for the most part... seen a few of the guys since i've come back (that wedding post will have to wait - i'm in no mood for it at the moment) and i've spent most of my time at uni getting some things sorted or going to the gym...

About the only new events that have occured are my taking up salsa again (at Havana near Taman Tun) and attending a rendition of Antoine de Saint Exupery's famous Le Petit Prince at the gorgeous Panggung Bandaraya in the city on behalf of the Embassy of Sweden and the Alliance Francaise.

It was more of a puppet show than a play i suppose (since it only had one human actor) but it was exceedingly well done, with special mention having to go to the set design. About the only criticism i can muster is the fact that it was almost completely retold in Swedish with an interpreter at the side translating it into English, which only resulted in a confusing jumble of words as one person talked over the other, forcing me to immediately go online once i returned home and reacquaint myself with the story...

Pity about the dubbing really, because its an exceedingly beautiful tale that tells the story of a world-weary aviator whose malfunctioning plane strands him on the Sahara Desert. When a mysterious, regal little boy appears and asks him to draw a sheep, the aviator is annoyed and distracted from his crisis — unaware that he is about to have a transforming experience. By learning that "what is essential is invisible to the eye," the aviator comes to a new understanding of how to laugh, cry, and love again.

I remember reading this book, a reprint of the original with the author's art, when i was about 8 years of age and finding it (to as best as i can currently remember) an amusing and fantastic story filled with planes, princes, and planets while enthusiastically agreeing with the prince's views on adults and their strange behaviour...

In other words, i took it at face value. But now, as i read this book (parable?) again i'm struck by how deep it actually is in the analogies that it brings forth and the wisdom of the words in it and what they represent to me now that i am old enough to understand them. I'm not sure if its the song i'm currently listening to (*glances above*) or some other emotive interference (such as nicotine) but its all really striking a chord with me now... especially the part about the rose. *sigh*

I always did find it a sad story - mainly because of the ending when i was a child, but now because of the many realizations that have dawned on me since re-reading it. I simply must get you all to read it again (or for the first time)! It really is that good...

To this end i have managed to find a website with the entire work ably translated into English and coupled with the original artworks (which are so crucial to this book) and completely viewable chapter by chapter in your browser for convenience.

For additional reading and an analysis of this writing i would highly recommend this site (use the dropdown menu).

Mind you, try not to read it before thinking about it on your own, find it on your own - thats one of the main themes btw... ;)