There are many works of literature that contain such inspirational lessons that in turn, stick within the hearts and minds of their readers. One piece of literature that has really stuck with my personally, would be "Le Petit Prince" written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. I have always loved this book, and it has been a constant in my list of top five books. Whenever I read this, I always find new and inspiring quotes that I am able to translate into my life, and carry with me. Here are some of my most favorite quotes from the work, and what they mean to me.
“And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”
This is the quote that I have felt the most connected to. To me, this quote means that to really know someone, you must see past the image that they project to the world. If you were to only focus on their image, you will be unable to see if what is in their heart is genuine. There are times when we feel that we know someone, based on the image that they have given to us, only to be surprised when they show their true colors. I feel that this is a necessary lesson to learn, in order to find happiness in the people that surround them.
“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”
The people that we surround ourselves with are what give our lives purpose. Everything we do, we do in order to enhance our experiences together. There are times, however, when we may feel that all of our time and effort that we have dedicated to one person, may feel like a waste. When this occurs, it is important to realize that it is the effort that shows how important this person is to you, because if this person was not important, then you have truly wasted your time.
“Well, I must endure the presence of a few caterpillars if I wish to become acquainted with the butterflies.”
This is a quote that highlights the importance of waiting for the right person in your life. There are times when it seems that your perfect person is not out there, and you find yourself thinking that all you will ever have is someone that is not reaching their potential, or even push you to reach your potential as well. However, it is at these times where it is important to remember that there are those out there that are right for you, and together, you will be able to reach your potentials; your butterfly is out there, but you must experience the caterpillars first.
“You're beautiful, but you're empty. No one could die for you.”
Think about some of the negative people in our lives, it may be easy to imagine that you are lesser in comparison. You may feel that they will always be prettier, or attract better people. Though this may seem true, it is these people that only possess this one quality; there is no actual substance. Those that have no substance, will only attract those that have equal qualities. Though they may be beautiful, they are not worth dying for.
“A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral.”
This is truly a beautiful quote with an equally beautiful meaning. Again, this is something that discusses the importance of perspective. To one person, an object my seem like it has no use, but it only takes one person to look past what everyone else sees, and imagining something great. To me, this has always inspired me in the fact that whatever path I choose in life, I have the power to create a wonderful life, even if it may seem meaningless to others; it's all about perspective.
I'm always happy to share my favorite works of literature with others, so by creating this article, I am happy that I am able to show my favorite lessons and quotes from this wonderful story. I hope you are able to find the joy that I have when reading "Le Petit Prince" written by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
