Just recently, I came across a post about his collection of the different translated editions of The Little Prince. This children's book is very popular for different ages. I know some people who make it a habit to read this book once a year. I had the interest of reading this when I was in high school but just like what I always say, sometimes, life gets in the way.
A year ago, when I was so invested in learning French, I bought a copy of the book in French. It was difficult to appreciate the story itself when I was struggling with the language. Again, I put down the book and forgot about it. However, just this week, when I wanted to visit the bookstore near my apartment, I saw this book from one of the shelves. When I got home, I read it as soon as I settled on my seat. Why did I even let more than a decade passed without reading this book?
When I grow up, I wish to be a kid again
Growing up is difficult, there are just so many things we have to let go, have at certain age, unlearn, learn, and more. Things will always be changing. The little prince describes grown-ups as people who only value figures. Age, salary, years of experience, and other more metrics. I would like not to take offense of that description but I have to admit, that me too, just concern myself with these figures. I am amazed how this book we can see in the children's section of the bookstores offer layers of lessons that could speak volume to someone in any point of life. A child could learn from its story, a teenager, a grown-up, a professional, a mother, a father, anyone.
How do we value the passing time?
Time is fleeting for everyone. In the book, a lamplighter who faithfully does his job of dictating day and night just see time passing right in front of his eyes. Were you ever in that situation? With all the grown-ups met by the little prince, this character was the most relatable to me. I am a person of habit but I fear to just be circling the same path over and over again. It was emphasized how the job of the lamplighter is useful, not just to him, but to other people too. However, being consumed of something that we do not find joy from could rob us of the things that are worthy of doing. Our sense of purpose and value should be deeply rooted on something. Time will surely pass for everyone. Seconds, minutes, days, weeks, years, or even decades could pass without us knowing how much we've missed.
A broken music record
I was waiting for this to come around on page of the book. I have heard, read, and saw this so many times. I was hesitant whether it will still bear meaning. But, just like a broken music record, its sound still came across to me. As we age, the way we see things become more and more calculative that we lost sight of the things that can't really be measured. A part in the book told about how a child values a ragdoll, that when someone takes it away from her, she would cry. A child knows the things that are important and of value to her. Contrary to grown-ups, we are almost always blind-sided of what really matters to us.
I would probably read this book some time next year, and the next, and the other more years to follow. The book spoke to me in such a way that I needed to hear someone to tell me how it's normal to have a difficult life right now...as a grown-up. This book will probably tell me a different story when I read it again next year. That is the beauty of books, it has the chance of being received in so many ways by its reader. Is there a book that you have read more than once already? Or a book that you also want to re-read every now and then?