Last week, waiting for my train, I watched the snow fall. There was no breeze, so the big flakes fell lazily, aimlessly towards the ground. One flake caught my attention and I started to follow it with my eyes. It moved side to side, going up a little and then falling down again. Instantly, it felt like as if there was a connection. It became special to me, that I only knew. As if it mattered where it falls. It is the same with people.
Ten years ago, one fall morning, I went out for a walk, and went for a cup of coffee in a Hyde Park diner. From my street side seat I could see a young tree on the sidewalk. The tree was almost bare by then, but just two leaves were still clinging on to the thin branches. I looked up and noticed that one of them must have blown away while I was busy with my coffee, and just a single leaf was still fluttering in the strong autumn wind. I immediately realized that now I cannot leave, I must watch the last leaf fall, I was connected, I was committed. The leaf struggled for a long time, not sure how long, and in a strong gust, tore off and blew away. It was a sad moment, like seeing a close friend go away for the last time. I paid and walked out of the restaurant. There were many leaves covering the side walk. I looked for my leaf, but could not tell it apart from all the other leaves. It is the same with people.
Another ten years ago I read a little book for the first time. The book still remains one of my favorite -- The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. The section that touched me most was the Little Prince’s conversation with the fox. The fox wanted to be tamed by the prince. When asked why, this is what the fox said –
"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the colour of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat..."
Eventually, the Little Prince did tame the fox. When the time came for the prince to leave, the fox said --
"Goodbye," said the fox. "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."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."
"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.
Older Comments (18)
1. Jagriti ruparel said on 3/9/13 - 09:39PM
The painting & the colors are beautiful as is the thought. I would reference the book but not quote paragraphs from it!
2. Kunal Sen said on 3/9/13 - 10:23PM
Thank you, Jagriti. I wanted to include the paragraph because it goes so perfectly with what I was trying to say, and says it so much more profoundly.
3. Dipankar Mukhopadhyay said on 3/10/13 - 01:35AM
The episode of the autumn leaf reminded me of a poignant O.Henry short story, pity I do not recall the title.
4. Stacy Hope said on 3/10/13 - 03:19AM
I had the same thought on O. Henry. The story is called, "The Last Leaf." Beautiful writing and thoughts in this post Kunal.
5. Kunal Sen said on 3/10/13 - 06:11AM
Dipankar-da and Stacy, I just finished reading the beautiful O'Henry story. Thank you...
6. Indrajit Sen said on 3/10/13 - 08:09AM
This is the first time that I "connected" with your expression through a connect in the Face book. Wonderful and deeply touched.
7. Abhijit Sarkar said on 3/11/13 - 07:57AM
A very simple and clear expression of an idea, the kind of thought that swishes past the tongue and also perhaps sits there for that subatomic moment which disappears with the stirrings of lucidity.
8. Kathleen Kuiper said on 3/11/13 - 09:50AM
Very nice, Kunal. Particularly touching to read the morning I said goodbye to a very sweet cat.
9. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 10:42AM
That's very poetic thing to say -- thank you!
10. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 10:45AM
Kathleen -- thank you, and I am very sorry to hear about your cat.
11. Irina Guberman said on 3/11/13 - 07:41PM
Amazing blog Kunal... Your images and the image of wheat from the quote create this beautiful pensive world... I haven't seen the image of the last leaf. I guess it's a new one. Really love it! It's hard to describe exactly what it is, but both paintings work great together to create this unreal quiet mood bringing in strong focus something important... singing silence!
12. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 08:09PM
Irina, I was hoping you would comment. I am very happy you liked it. Thank you.
13. Shreedevi said on 3/11/13 - 08:13PM
So beautiful - it reminds me that I can pay more attention to the little things. You know, waste time on the rose ... :)
14. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 09:22PM
@Shreedevi, that's exactly what I'm trying to do :-)
15. Tatyana said on 3/13/13 - 09:33AM
Beautifully written, Kunal. I can't wait to read more posts. This is the first time that I saw your latest art work, and I must say that it's impressive. I will show it to my husband, also an artist, tonight. :)
16. Kunal Sen said on 3/13/13 - 01:37PM
Oh Tatyana, thank you so much!
17. Rachel said on 3/13/13 - 05:28PM
The flow of your words is really beautiful, Kunal--very nice!
18. Kunal Sen said on 3/13/13 - 07:34PM
Thanks a lot, Rachel.
"My life is very monotonous," the fox said. "I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All the chickens are just alike, and all the men are just alike. And, in consequence, I am a little bored. But if you tame me, it will be as if the sun came to shine on my life. I shall know the sound of a step that will be different from all the others. Other steps send me hurrying back underneath the ground. Yours will call me, like music, out of my burrow. And then look: you see the grain-fields down yonder? I do not eat bread. Wheat is of no use to me. The wheat fields have nothing to say to me. And that is sad. But you have hair that is the colour of gold. Think how wonderful that will be when you have tamed me! The grain, which is also golden, will bring me back the thought of you. And I shall love to listen to the wind in the wheat..."
Eventually, the Little Prince did tame the fox. When the time came for the prince to leave, the fox said --
"Goodbye," said the fox. "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."
"What is essential is invisible to the eye," the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.
"It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important."
"It is the time I have wasted for my rose--" said the little prince, so that he would be sure to remember.
Older Comments (18)
1. Jagriti ruparel said on 3/9/13 - 09:39PM
The painting & the colors are beautiful as is the thought. I would reference the book but not quote paragraphs from it!
2. Kunal Sen said on 3/9/13 - 10:23PM
Thank you, Jagriti. I wanted to include the paragraph because it goes so perfectly with what I was trying to say, and says it so much more profoundly.
3. Dipankar Mukhopadhyay said on 3/10/13 - 01:35AM
The episode of the autumn leaf reminded me of a poignant O.Henry short story, pity I do not recall the title.
4. Stacy Hope said on 3/10/13 - 03:19AM
I had the same thought on O. Henry. The story is called, "The Last Leaf." Beautiful writing and thoughts in this post Kunal.
5. Kunal Sen said on 3/10/13 - 06:11AM
Dipankar-da and Stacy, I just finished reading the beautiful O'Henry story. Thank you...
6. Indrajit Sen said on 3/10/13 - 08:09AM
This is the first time that I "connected" with your expression through a connect in the Face book. Wonderful and deeply touched.
7. Abhijit Sarkar said on 3/11/13 - 07:57AM
A very simple and clear expression of an idea, the kind of thought that swishes past the tongue and also perhaps sits there for that subatomic moment which disappears with the stirrings of lucidity.
8. Kathleen Kuiper said on 3/11/13 - 09:50AM
Very nice, Kunal. Particularly touching to read the morning I said goodbye to a very sweet cat.
9. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 10:42AM
That's very poetic thing to say -- thank you!
10. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 10:45AM
Kathleen -- thank you, and I am very sorry to hear about your cat.
11. Irina Guberman said on 3/11/13 - 07:41PM
Amazing blog Kunal... Your images and the image of wheat from the quote create this beautiful pensive world... I haven't seen the image of the last leaf. I guess it's a new one. Really love it! It's hard to describe exactly what it is, but both paintings work great together to create this unreal quiet mood bringing in strong focus something important... singing silence!
12. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 08:09PM
Irina, I was hoping you would comment. I am very happy you liked it. Thank you.
13. Shreedevi said on 3/11/13 - 08:13PM
So beautiful - it reminds me that I can pay more attention to the little things. You know, waste time on the rose ... :)
14. Kunal Sen said on 3/11/13 - 09:22PM
@Shreedevi, that's exactly what I'm trying to do :-)
15. Tatyana said on 3/13/13 - 09:33AM
Beautifully written, Kunal. I can't wait to read more posts. This is the first time that I saw your latest art work, and I must say that it's impressive. I will show it to my husband, also an artist, tonight. :)
16. Kunal Sen said on 3/13/13 - 01:37PM
Oh Tatyana, thank you so much!
17. Rachel said on 3/13/13 - 05:28PM
The flow of your words is really beautiful, Kunal--very nice!
18. Kunal Sen said on 3/13/13 - 07:34PM
Thanks a lot, Rachel.
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