“It’s such a secret place, the land of tears.” — The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery

I remember being assigned Le Petit Prince when I was in school, a text that was mandatory for all seventh-grade children learning French. I’ve read the book eighteen times since, and as anyone who has had the good fortune of reading this book will tell you, every page, every read, I’ve always learned something new; about the World and more importantly, myself.

Meet The Little Prince,

His journey is a story.

As I’m going through my life, my journey, I’ve met a lot of monsters, a lot of loved ones: a lot of baobabs, Grownups and no doubt, my Fox and my Rose.

And so today, I’m writing to The Little Prince to tell him about my journey.

The Lessons.

My Dear Little Prince,

Your journey has been, thought-provoking, to say the least. I’m ashamed to admit that I almost got caught in the web of Grownups. Your words, your love, your friendship and your love are all essential.

Yes, essential to my heart. Invisible to my eyes.

1. I ran away from the baobabs.

I knew from the beginning that this would cause me and my little planet harm. And yet, instead of diligently getting rid of them, I let them overpower me from within.

The Ever-Growing Baobabs.

2. I forgot the importance of Priorities; and made everyone else’s, My Own.

“All men have the stars,” he answered, “but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems. For my businessman they were wealth. But all these stars are silent. You — you alone — will have the stars as no one else has them…”

I didn’t realize that in order to teach myself the lessons I need to learn to grow, I should look at my stars, as my own — and not at the stars of others for guidance.

3. I’m in awe of the Butterfly, but I forget that She once, was a Caterpillar.

Patience: at times, with me, most times, not. It’s an enduring process, but a lesson I need to learn.

“I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”

4. I got comfortable on my Little Planet.

“The geographer: But I am not an explorer. I haven’t a single explorer on my planet. It is not the geographer who goes out to count the towns, the rivers, the mountains, the seas, the oceans, and the deserts. The geographer is much too important to go loafing about. He does not leave his desk.”

I’ve dedicated myself to living on my Little Planet and have thus decorated it with the most beautiful of books from around the world, collected post-cards from loved ones and photos from friends: all but one thing is missing, memorabilia from my own travels. I’ve become, the Geographer. I’ve forgotten to do what scares me the most.

5. There is need for ritual, there is need for taming.

My fond heart should not wander: from my family, my passion, my lover, or myself.

“…if you come at four in the afternoon, I’ll begin to be happy by three. The closer it gets to four, the happier I’ll feel. By four I’ll be all excited and worried; I’ll discover what it costs to be happy! But if you come at any old time, I’ll never know when to prepare my heart . . .” The Fox.

6. Love, with all my Heart; And Let Go, with all my Heart.

“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”

Holding on to a rose too tight will only make it vulnerable to one thing, me. But a lesson never to forget, is that my Rose will always be special because of the time I have spent loving it. And if Loving is to Let Go, then I shall do so, with all the Grace I had when I loved my Rose in the first place — for this will be the truest demonstration of my Love.

7. I will never forget.

“Growing up is not the problem, forgetting is.”

I will never forget as I grow up.

The Beginning.

My Dear Little Prince,

Your journey is inspirational and pure.

As I promise, the life I lead, will be too.

My Dear Little Prince,

Thank You, for saving Me.