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By William Van Zyl. Published in 2021.
A pilot’s bracelet lost at sea was found in a fishing net—what a coincidence. The bracelet belonged to a pilot that had gone missing many years ago – in fact, just before the second world war ended in 1944. The pilot was reported to be lost at sea during an air race. He crashed into the sea during the race. In 1998, a fishing vessel off the Ile de Riou found an identity bracelet caught in one of its nets. It belonged to Saint-X. What a find! Read the stunning story of the pilot and writer Saint-X. He produced a brilliant work of fiction. I mine deep into these events and retrieve solid gold. The precious find – with other details – reveals practical lessons from this famous French author’s life. Don’t miss it. ‘Leaving your comfort zone,’ being ‘brave,’; ‘a little nervousness is good for you,’; ‘expand your horizons,’; ‘ just say yes – you will figure it out on the way,’ are some of the aspects touched on in this article. Also, see the unusual comparison of Saint-X’s writing with Herman Melville (‘Moby Dick’) and Shakespeare’s (‘Macbeth’) work. I explore contrasts and parallels for your benefit.
Table of Contents
Brief overview of the novel:
The famous novel by Saint-Ex – a children’s book written in French – is about a young prince who visits various planets in space, including Earth, and addresses themes of loneliness, friendship, love, and loss. The Little Prince makes observations about life and human nature. The book is said to have many layers of life lessons locked into an unusual story. Hundreds of people have commented that the lessons they have learned from the book have impacted their lives.
Indian Food benefits brain health – really?
After writing a recent article on the famous novels Moby Dick (Herman Melville) and Macbeth (Shakespeare); I was having a very healthy smoothie in the morning with my wife – and I must mention ‘Googling’ Indian Food benefits for brain health – we had some exciting discussions around challenges as people get older. The discussion turned into a debate. Think about the challenging position a newly elected president places himself or herself is – for example, Joe Biden of the US (78 years young).
In this context of retirement and the activities in nursing homes, the debate intensified. To support some of the statements I will use the exciting novel, The Little Prince, by Antoine, which includes just so much creative writing and ideas. Pure fiction. He has been adventurous – flying aeroplanes. It seems like his novel’s inspiration cames after he crashed in the Sahara Desert while endeavouring to set a new world record for the fastest time from Paris to Saigon. It is believed that the catastrophic event inspired him to write the novel.
On 30 December 1935, at 2:45 am, after 19 hours and 44 minutes in the air, Saint-Exupéry, along with his mechanic-navigator André Prévot, crashed in the Libyan desert, during an attempt to break the speed record in a Paris-to-Saigon air race and win a prize of 150,000 francs.
What makes his life story and even more intriguing is that he disappeared while flying over the ocean. This event took place a couple of years after being stranded in the desert – which he survived. It was believed that had died while on a reconnaissance mission from Corsica over the Mediterranean on 31 July 1944 – during the second world war.
You won’t believe what happened next. Miraculously the engraved bracelet of Antoine was found in a fishing net decades later. The discovery of the bracelet led divers to the crash site. Eventually, the broken-up plane was discovered, and parts of the aircraft ended up on display in a French museum. Read the engraving on the bracelet in the image.
![A still image of Saint-Exupèry during a boat tour of a lake near Montreal, Canada, filmed in May 1942. The image was extracted from a single frame of an approximate two-minute length 16mm colour Kodachrome movie shot casually while meeting with his Canadian publisher Bernard Valiquette and friends, along with wife Consuelo (all of whom are out of view in the image). The group, which included many women who regaled with laughter at his stories and jokes, were at that moment enjoying a leisurely tour of the lake, with the occasion being caught on movie / ciné film by the boat’s owner. The fun and cheerfulness are all the more remarkable as Saint-Exupéry was beset by visa problems that prevented him from returning to the United States, and was also bedridden with cholecystitis of the gallbladder. According to Frédérique Parent of Sotheby’s Auction House in London: “In the film, Saint-Ex is surrounded by women under the watchful eye of [his wife] Consuelo, who we see driving the boat; he is telling jokes and laughing and being charming and lovely. It’s an unusual portrayal of Saint-Exupèry especially as he was said to be ill and depressed at the time. He looks pale and tired, and he has dark rings under his eyes but what is so remarkable is that we see a very happy Saint-Ex, even though we know that this time in Canada was one of the unhappiest times of his life. “ The French newspaper Le Figaro described the footage as “an unexpected little miracle”. The film also provided a never-before-seen movie view of Saint-Exupèry wife and muse, Consuelo, the source of much of his inspired works and angst. The film is the best, and longest, of three known privately held historical movies of Saint-Exupèry and the only one shot in colour. It was listed for sale in 2010 at Sotheby’s, London and was expected to be sold for € 50,000. Source of image: By Unknown Author - Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9879603](https://williamvanzylcom.files.wordpress.com/2021/04/f3476-antoinephot-1612329354-43-2.jpg?resize=722%2C522)
If interested you can view the full story of The Little Prince below. It includes the sheep sketches scenes: https://www.youtube.com/embed/APG1upS8LDw?v
In short
LIFE LESSON FROM THE LITTLE PRINCE: We must have the courage to be adventures and to explore, reaching beyond the horizon to expand; at the same time, we have to be willing to manage a little anxiety. It is beneficial to us!
We tend to stay inside our “comfort zones” because it is easier than taking risks. Especially when we get older, we must use the time we have on Earth to try different experiences, meet new people, and travel the world.
Science says:
There are many reasons to get out of your comfort zones; many of them are backed by science. According to psychologists, The anxiety you experience in the face of the challenge may even lead you to become more efficient, expanding your horizons. Adapting to challenges help us stay sharp in old age, according to a study published in 2013.
I love the quote of Gary Keesee (‘Fixing the Money Thing’):
“Just say yes—even if you don’t have an idea— don’t stress, you can figure it out on the way.”
The Little Prince knows a secret. He knows that out there amid the sun-swept landscape—a scorching desert—there is a well. In that well is all the water they need. To him, the desert is not about the harsh realities of survival or what the eye can see. He doesn’t fixate on the relentless sun and the endless expanse—he sees the prize—the hidden well. A desert can be a place of beauty. Amongst the piles of sand—somewhere—there is a spring. This ‘sheltered water’, which in turn, endows beauty, life and love to the weary aeroplane-wrecked the pristine, crystal-clear water is the prize. He has to work for it! Go on the adventure!
Anxiety is a good thing; it can make you perform at your peak. As you get older, do something challenging. Get out of your comfort zone. Get into the enhancement zone!
The Enhancement Zone.
Lead researcher Denise Park of the University of Texas at Dallas says, “It seems it is not enough to get out and do something—it is important to get out and do something unfamiliar and mentally challenging. It should provide broad stimulation, mentally and socially. When you are inside your comfort zone, you may be outside of the enhancement zone.”
Copyright
Copyright © 2021 by William Van Zyl
Leaving Your Comfort Zone Requires Courage. A Brave Move Will Make You More Efficient! A Lesson from ‘The Little Prince’ (Famous Novel by French Writer: Antoine De Saint-Exupèry 1943).
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Published by Five House Publishing (New Zealand)
Published in 2021
About the Author
The author had an exciting and unique childhood. Not as you would expect – not travelling abroad – but venturing through the fields, bushes, tools sheds, and mysterious underground tunnels around his neighbourhood. His happy place was – and still is – tinkering with ideas, science, and new possibilities. While cycling, he will often get new ideas; he brings the unexpected, the unique, and the creative in a flurry on a page or a sketch. To this day, he dreams of vicious wars and sophisticated weaponry in an innocent child’s scout cave. He loves diagrams, timelines, cross-sections, sketches, and details of sinister and hidden concepts and ideas, always looking for a new mystery to decode and encode. He investigates and explores extravagant thoughts that he includes in children’s books and stories; he loves to explore philosophers’ perspectives, articles, intriguing stories, and poetry. Academic and research work are his forte. He always offers a practical but straightforward explanation within an engaging context. Not your ordinary thinker! A lifelong scholar and teacher.
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