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By William Van Zyl
First published on January 31, 2021
Republished on January 20, 2023
From the author’s sketchbook.
Table of Contents
A 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.
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 about challenges as we got older. The conversation turned into a debate. Consider the challenging position a newly elected president places himself or herself in – for example, Joe Biden of the US (78 years young).
The debate intensified in this context of retirement and the activities in nursing homes. To support some of the statements, I will use the exciting novel, The Little Prince, by Antoine, which includes much creative writing and ideas. Pure fiction. He has been adventurous – flying aeroplanes. It seems like his novel’s inspiration came 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.
His life story is even more intriguing because 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 he had died 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 were displayed in a French museum. Read the engraving on the bracelet in the image. Astounding coincidence. It is as if he wanted to leave a trace through the finding of his bracelet – his legacy.
The bracelet of the famous French writer was found in a fishing net. Incredible find! Credit image: By Fredriga – Photo prise à Marseille Durant l’été 2009., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7895755
A piece of the landing gear of Saint-Exupéry’s P-38 Lightning, recovered from the Mediterranean off France’s coast in 2003, was displayed at the French Air and Space Museum. Credit: Harry Zilber – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16190429
![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://lh6.googleusercontent.com/OfDPgrz8qfaJs3hhe8TXBBFPQJDro67qflXX3vNybqbc7yr8izslM17NpBnkDmIWrbuZ8PEdkeCJYye_-_N7j5U2yXL81Yzg-HavUh-XKe-pkPY_dlR3AfhTosLIrgrlFz7qcEdCuKy6wc0IW18GDwrgVR5QnecY3BnYG_QZzMf87XO1kagP-F4coxfLJg)
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 his wife Consuelo (all of whom are out of view in the image).
More about 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’s wife and muse, Consuelo, the source of much of his inspired works and angst. The film is the best and longest of three 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
From my sketchbook: Antoine Marie Jean-Baptiste Roger, Comte de Saint-Exupéry, simply known as de Saint-Exupéry (French). 29 June 1900 – 31 July 1944. Antoine was a French writer, poet, aristocrat, journalist and pioneering aviator.
If interested, you can see the the video below (The Little Prince narrated by Kenneth Branagh). There are many interpretations on YouTube. I include a synopsis.
A children’s story for adults: The Little Prince is an honest and beautiful story about loneliness, friendship, sadness, and love. The prince is a small boy from a tiny planet (an asteroid to be precise), who travels the universe, planet-to-planet, seeking wisdom. On his journey, he discovers the unpredictable nature of adults.
LIFE LESSONS FROM THE LITTLE PRINCE:
We must have the courage to be adventurous and explore, reaching beyond the horizon to expand; at the same time, we must 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 our time 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 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 helps 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.” That is how you grow, by taking on challenges.
The Little Prince in the desert.
The Little Prince knows a secret. He knows there is a well amid the sun-swept landscape—a scorching desert. 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 endows beauty, life and love to the weary aeroplane-wrecked, 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!
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. You may be outside the enhancement zone when you are in your comfort zone.”
Copyright © 2021 & 2023 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) in January 2021
Republished on January 20, 2023.
More articles, eBooks, lessons, and resources are available at Five House Publishing.
Read more online: https://fivehousepublishing.com/
More about the Author: http://williamvanzyl.com/
Podcasts:
The Extravagant Podcast. Available on Spotify, Podbean, Audible, and more.
https://feed.podbean.com/williamvzyl/feed.xml
https://williamvzyl.podbean.com/
