6 May 2009
Little Prince coincidence
March 27, 2009
I originally planned to post all the tales in the order they occurred, but sometimes I’m gonna have to go with the Flow … this morning, I got a new comment on the post about Binny the Albino Squirrel, noting the similarity between my experience and the story of the Little Prince & the Fox.
I was amazed – not only because it added another layer of coincidence to the Little Prince story below, but because the commenter had made a connection that I’d been blind to … which validates my hope for this blog, that its interactive nature would help make new connections and further illuminate the mysteries I’m exploring … –
Late Thursday night I was lying in bed reading with Becky. She was reading a book I’d gotten her earlier that week: Leo Buscaglia’s ‘Living Loving and Learning.’ (I’d ordered a used copy for her after I’d suddenly remembered it – back in junior high I’d found a copy at a garage sale and really liked it.)
When she put it aside to go to sleep, I picked it up and paged through, wondering if it would seem terribly cheesy to my older eyes. I flipped through looking at chapter titles until I saw one called ‘On Becoming You,’ and started at the beginning of it.
A quote from the first page stood out to me, “Perhaps love is the process of my leading you gently back to yourself.” The quote was from the book ‘Wind, Sand, and Stars’ by Antoine de Saint Exupery – a name that rang a bell – years ago, my grandmother had given me a copy of Exupery’s ‘The Little Prince,’ saying that I had always reminded her of the story.
I had an impulse to find that copy of ‘The Little Prince,’ which I thought was in the bedside table drawer – I startled Becky with the burst of activity as I dug around looking for it. But I didn’t find it in the drawer, and went to sleep thinking I’d locate it later.
But by morning, I’d forgotten about finding the Little Prince.
That afternoon my mom came to the house to get some help with her laptop and hang out a bit. As we sat around chatting in my living room she sorted through the materials she’d brought with – then suddenly asked me if I still had the copy of ‘The Little Prince’ that her mother had given me – she’d just found a reminder note she’d written to herself saying: “Max – read: The Little Prince.”
I laughed at the coincidence and told her I had just been looking for that very book the night before, and I went upstairs to find it (it was ON the bedside table, not in it).
Then I asked her what had prompted her to write the note.
It turned out that 20 or so years ago, her father had given her a book which she’d just had an urge to read for the first time since then. In it, she found a chapter titled “What is Essential is Invisible to the Eye,” based on the philosophy of ‘The Little Prince.’
What was she reading?
A different chapter of the very same book that Becky and I had been reading – Leo Buscaglia’s ‘Living, Loving, & Learning’.
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Needless to say, I’m reading ‘The Little Prince’ now – and paying attention to what it has to say …
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“You can see clearly only with your heart.
What is truly important is invisible to the eyes.”
– Antoine de Saint Exupery, ‘The Little Prince’
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synchronicity
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Not only that, but the title rhymes! The Little Price is an awesome book, so much packed into such a small volume.
ian
May 6th, 2009 at 5:57 pmpermalink
Yeah, I am a sucker for the rhyme, which is the only reason I titled it as a ‘coincidence’ and not a ‘synchronicity’ – it does feel meaningful to me.
teapotshappen
May 6th, 2009 at 8:35 pmpermalink
I am so enjoying your blog. I loved the Binny story because I both laughed and I cried.
Perhaps the fact that Binny was so enchanting is what made the story so sad.
Despite the sad ending, Binny really made me smile, because I think, in way,………Binny is you!
Full of curiosity, play, innocence, and light.
Thanks for making me smile though my tears.
Kysha
kysha430
May 7th, 2009 at 4:29 ampermalink
!!! !
trekking in nepal the one other person in their 20’s of the seven with me… had brought the little prince on the trek… i had never read it or heard of it… i read it the day of the election. it’s officially the only book i’ve read this year… of course i loved it
since… i’ve had one or two run ins with other travelers who had recently discovered or rediscovered it’s magnanimous greatness… spawning discussions of synchronicity and coincidence…
jessica nicole davis
May 11th, 2009 at 10:24 pmpermalink
PS i think Rags and Binny have some connections… i can’t figure it out quite yet but perhaps a collective effort…
jessica nicole davis
May 11th, 2009 at 10:27 pmpermalink
[…] experience in California, Rebekah was there for the teapots and dominos, my grandmother sent me the Little Prince book …. no coincidences with Cantew or her baby. Yet anyway! […]
June 7th Birthdays « teapots happen
June 9th, 2009 at 11:08 ampermalink
I was looking for an image of the Little Prince and ‘chanced’ upon your blog. I happen to love that very spot where you’re standing on the Tomales Point Trail. How nice. Please check out my blog at:
http://coloringmyselfin.blogspot.com/
Are you familiar with Robert Moss’s book ‘The Three Only Things’? It’s about dreams, coincidence and imagination. I found it very informative.
Chip
Pasadena, CA
Chip Williams
October 11th, 2009 at 9:31 pmpermalink
Chip – yeah, that’s an amazing spot, isn’t it? One of my favorite places in earth.
I haven’t heard of that book before, I’ll keep an eye out for it, thanks!
teapots happen
October 12th, 2009 at 9:17 ampermalink
The Little Prince is one of my all-time favourite books and i still treasure the copy i’ve had for 40 years. The part about the little prince and the fox inspired me greatly when i was working as a remedial teacher with a very disturbed mute young girl, who regained the ability and desire to communicate. Another favourite of mine is The Velveteen Rabbit. Have you read it? I also love Leo Buscaglia, a wise man indeed, with a huge heart.
Katia
July 21st, 2012 at 4:59 pmpermalink