Relic of Innocence
What is essential is invisible to the eye
The secret told by Fox from The Little Prince kept echoing in my head these past few days. It was a great book and ended up being one of my favourites. It’s rare for me to find a book that makes me feel joy and sadness simultaneously. It helps me through my difficult moments, and I’m grateful to have read it at the right time. Meh, my word doesn’t do the book any justice; it’s life-changing to say the least. I finished it in one sitting, you should try to read it. The time you spend won’t be wasted, I assure you.
The Little Prince’s Quest
The prince’s journey is what intrigued me. Sure, he ventured to other places because he was being taken advantage of by his rose, which eventually broke his heart; but there was more to it than meets the eye. It’s not merely because of being heartbroken, because each person he met was asked the same template of questions at the beginning of their encounter: “Who are you?” and “Why are you doing it?”. Before he came to Earth, he left them one by one because their answers didn’t quite fit the taste to his mouth. He longed for connection; he desired meaningful bonds with others. A quest of companionship — to understand others and be understood.
He saw the king as a weird king who ruled over whatever he wished to reign over, and being a king who serves and cares for none seemed ridiculous. He’s baffled by how the gentleman with the hat needed his praise for him to function properly. He thought that the ever-counting businessman was doing anything but nonsense because he owned everything and failed to understand its value; it was a hollow pursuit after wealth and possession. He realized that the lamplighter was a dutiful madman for this man never had rest in his relentless task. He grieved for the drunkard who bound himself in a self-destructive pattern through alcohol, unable to break free through this cycle of suffering. The geographer appeared absurd, as he never ventured, explored, or experienced the world he claimed to know so well.
Adults think they’re doing something important because they spend all day counting things. Their life revolves around words and numbers, so what else matters to them? But the little prince tells us that the most important things in life are beyond surface appearances throughout his dialogues with our main character. It’s beautiful, how he preserves his purity with the power of imagination. And at the end of such a beautiful story, the little prince dies.
I suppose it’s a natural conclusion for the story, the little prince must die for the story to be beautiful. To allow it to remain beautiful. Because only the dead can remain truly pure. However, deep inside, I want to believe that he’s still alive on Earth. You can say that I made that up to avoid upsetting myself. But I want to believe that the little prince never did give up on the world. That improbable, unrealistic story is what opens up my eyes– it gives me the strength to continue.
Never Forget Your Roots
I imagined myself as the pilot who met the prince throughout the story. Each of their dialogues opens up chapters from the past of what it was like to be innocent. I feel like the age of early 20s is a journey where you end up falling over. It would be better if you hit rock bottom, instead, it is never-ending. That fall is outgrowing our childhood and coming into adulthood.
It was a story to remind us where it all began. To tell us that life doesn’t always revolve around trivial matters that can be seen by the naked eye. It’s about recognizing the value of intangible qualities that make things or people unique. Such as bonds of people, mutual understanding, and compassion towards others. Those are some of the many essential aspects for perceiving the depth and beauty of the world.
Cherish those things of quality often overlooked in people and moments that truly matter.
In a modern world, it might be the case that innocence is lost way too fast. It’s intriguing to me that such a memory that should be treasured, is forgotten and considered trivial to us. Actually, how many of us are currently reflecting on our childhood memories? And how many can’t recall any, because our current life occupies so much space of our brain’s processing capacity? Our work, chores, burdens, bills to pay, and so on, and so on. How much space can our brain allocate memories not needed for survival? What are we forgetting in order to remain alive?
Growing up is inevitable. Facing reality is ineffable. Living on often involves leaving behind the innocence and wonder of childhood. It’s funny enough that people often rush to grow up and sacrifice all that brings joy to them in the name of becoming an adult– and indeed sorrowful if we knew that it had come to this.
Remember what it was like to pursue anything you thought interesting without hesitating. Remember how wonderful it is to hang out together, dancing and cheering with joy, following the rhythm and beat of your own heart. These are the moments you felt truly alive if you’ve forgotten how good it is. Always believe there will come a point in life when you get the chance to reclaim that innocence. You may know the harsh truth of the reality you’re in, but that doesn’t mean your intentions are any less pure. Perhaps there’s no need to wait; now is as good a time as any.
Never forget your roots. Look back at the things you loved. Remember what it was like to be innocent. That is the time never to forsake; those are the moments to hold on to.
Kota Balikpapan, September 15th 2023
M. Bayu Bajra
