The Little Prince

Have you ever read The Little Prince? It really is the most lovely book. It tells the story of a pilot who lands in the desert and meets the Little Prince who asks him to draw a sheep. It turns out that the Little Prince is a traveller too - he has travelled from his home - asteroid B-612. On his home planet he takes care of a flower, a rose, and he believes it is the most special flower, even though it can be a very demanding flower. But it is the Little Prince's love for his flower which is perhaps the most touching aspect of this book.

Whilst it may be a fable, some may say a book for children, there is much for adults to appreciate in The Little Prince. The illustrations are beautiful, the storyline is fantastical and many profound truths are spoken about life, love and the way people relate to themselves and each other.

And I know that once you have read this book, then the next time that you look up at the stars, then you will think of the Little Prince and his flower on asteroid B-612. An online version of the text can be found here, though really you should buy the book - it's not the same reading it online, and I promise that it's a book you'll want to read again if you've got any heart at all.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

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

If one loves a flower, of which just one single blossom grows in all the millions and millions of stars, it is enough to make him happy just to look at the stars... He can say to himself: 'Somewhere my flower is there'.

The stars are beautiful because of a flower that cannot be seen.

To me you are nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you on your part have no need of me. To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me then we shall need each other. To me, you shall be unique in all the world. To you I shall be unique in all the world...

You become forever responsible for what you have tamed.

There is a flower... I think that she has tamed me...

Grownups never understand anything for themselves and it is tiresome for children to be always and forever explaining things to them.

In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars are laughing when you look at the sky at night.