Photo: D. Paul Graham, “Wander Planets”, 2021

“Monday 5 Things” ™….. Of Planet B 612 …..

In most areas of my life, I am a creature of habit. When days or weeks continue to be hectic, I will often take time to clear my mind late in the evening by listening to jazz, perhaps a tad too loud for the neighbors, or will re-read books that have challenged, inspired, or motivated me. The latter is likely most peaceful for my neighbors; both are typically accompanied by either an outrageously good Pinot Noir or a certain golden-colored libation fermented, aged, and barreled in Kentucky. These past couple of weeks have lent themselves to some late-night reflection and I chose some literary relaxation and distraction. During these moments, one of my go-to books is Saint-Exupéry’s ‘Le Petit Prince’. The first edition was released in 1943 and weaves the tale of a pilot who crashes in the Sahara and meets a young prince. The prince, who was from Planet B 612, shares his anecdotes of wanderlust and travels through the universe to other planets in search of answers to wisdom, loneliness, love, pain, friendship, beauty, and his beloved rose. If you haven’t read this incredible book, give yourself the gift of a few hours to read it. I can assure you it won’t be the last time that you open it up. This morning’s M5T shares some of my favorite quotes from a well-worn copy that resides on my bookshelf.

1. Of Judgment & Wisdom.

“Then you shall judge yourself, the king answered. That is the most difficult thing of all. It is much more difficult to judge oneself than to judge others. If you succeed in judging yourself rightly, then you are indeed a man of true wisdom.”

2. Of Perspectives.

“All men have the stars, he answered, but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others, they are no more than little lights in the sky.”

3. Of Grown Ups.

“Grown-ups love figures… When you tell them you’ve made a new friend, they never ask you any questions about essential matters. They never say to you ‘What does his voice sound like? What games does he love best? Does he collect butterflies?’ Instead, they demand ‘How old is he? How much does he weigh? How much money does his father make?’ Only from these figures do they think they have learned anything about him.”

4. Of Matters of Consequence.

“He has never done anything in his life but add up figures. And all day he says over and over, just like you: ‘I am busy with matters of consequence!’ And that makes him swell up with pride. But he is not a man – he is a mushroom!”

5. Of Seeing True Beauty.

“The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”  “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

Here’s to a week of your own wanderlust and visiting planets, of laughing with the stars, of asking deep questions and listening for deeper answers, of investing in other people, and of course appreciating, loving and tending to the essence and beauty of the invisible elements of your rose.

© 2021 D. Paul Graham, all rights reserved.

D. Paul Graham is passionate about people, culture, photography and business. He has embraced his wanderlust with his travels around the globe and is at peace with his need for spirited drives in all things automotive.

You can find M5T each Monday here on www.southmag.com and by friending D. Paul Graham on Facebook. Paul is also a contributing photographer to South Magazine. His photographic work can be found on Instagram @dpgraham and at www.imageGRAHAM.com . Your feedback is always welcome. Email Paul at dpg@imagegraham.com