Have you read The Little Prince, by Antoine De Saint-Exupéry?
(If you haven’t, I highly recommend that you stop reading this, go find a copy of The Little Prince, and read it. It’s much better than this blog. But then please come back!)
Do you have tears in your eyes now, the way I did tonight when I saw the stage production of The Little Prince? My eyes started watering with the VERY FIRST LINE and were still wet when the actors came out to take their bows.
I’ll admit I’m a little biased. I’m a huge fan of the book, and I’m not alone. It’s sold 140 million copies worldwide, and it’s been translated into 300 languages and dialects.
In college, my very good friend Margo gave me the hardcover edition (shown above) as a gift. I love the book on its own merits, but also because it reminds me of Margo.
Several years ago, my daughter, Katie, gave me a Little Prince kitchen magnet.
She also gave me some Little Prince postcards. I’ve got one of the cards tacked up on my wall at work.
The other day, I found a Little Prince plastic cup in my work mailbox. I asked around and found out it was from a teacher, Ms. S., who works there. “Ms. S. does things like that,” someone told me. “It must have been her.”
Sure enough, it was Ms. S. “I noticed the card in your office,” she said. “I love The Little Prince. He’s been my inspiration for years. I even have a Little Prince tattoo!” Wow. That’s some serious inspiration.
The next day, a pair of Little Prince socks appeared in my work mailbox, from — guess who? Ms. S. strikes again! I wore them to the play tonight.
The character of the prince was played by seven different actors who took turns wearing his royal blue costume seen above. I don’t want to give away the plot, but this is perhaps the sweetest, most poignant story ever told.
The first line of the play, the one that made me start crying right off the bat, is this quote from the book:
“One truly sees with the heart; what is essential is invisible to the eyes.”
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(This is post #2 for NanoPoblano2019.)
loristory 