173: Of Twenty-Three Sunsets

Last month, I’ve been writing a rough synopsis of my favorite book “The Little Prince.” On the part when the Pilot asked the Prince’s forty-four sunsets, I don’t know why I have interpreted it as the Prince’s (or author’s) 44 years of life. Whether that is the writer’s intention or not, the time spent here on earth was the message that crossed my mind on that little part of the book.

“Were you sad, then? . . on the day of twenty-three sunsets?” then the Prince made no reply.

Thus, I asked myself,
“Were you sad, then? . . on the day of twenty-three sunsets?” then Art made no reply.

“Were you sad, then . . . on a life time of twenty-three years?” then Art would want to say something…

My twenty-three sunsets…my twenty-three sunrises….
If I would figuratively describe a year of my life into a day, I haven’t reached my twenty-third sunset, not yet. (turning 24 na pla ako!!!)
An average person would usually contemplate during this time of the day, whether he is on a bus or leisurely walking down the street on the way home.
A housewife typically asks her kids how they spent their day at school.
More often than not, it’s the time when one unconsciously, simply thinks about his day.
It’s May, the seventh month of my twenty-third year, seven months closer to my sunset.
In a day, it’s 1:00 PM in the morning. Not much to look at, but seven hours unplanned in a day is still wasted time. Seven months in a year would equate the same.

(((hahahah! to ne continued ulit...grabe...im busy, really busy!)

172: The Little Prince (Art's Interpretation)

The Little Prince (12.24.06)
I came across this book two years ago, while getting well after my accident in 2004. I’ll write here a synopsis of the book and the parts which made me like this book.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery was the first book that I really enjoyed reading and get to finish from the first page to the last. And I once believed that the book is based on a true story, maybe because my mind is still fresh because of the accident. I had believed everything as if it is real. I think that this book deserve a page in my blog.

Overview:
A pilot crash-landed at the Sahara dessert. There, he met the strange little prince who talked about his little planet where he came from. The Little Prince asked the Pilot to draw him a sheep, that’s their first acquaintance. Think about it! In the middle of the dessert a little boy suddenly emerged. The story of the prince evolved around, and if you will read between the lines, the book is full packed with wisdom.
Here are the concepts that I really get to like, in point of fact, I really like the whole book itself! I’m going to interpret it the way I understood it.
The Little Prince as told by Art (hehehe)
The sheep inside the box.
The Little Prince asked the Pilot to draw him a sheep that he could take back to his small planet. The Pilot attempted to draw three sheep that was rejected by the Prince. Because of disappointment and worry about his plane’s engine, he drew a box and told the prince that the sheep is inside. The Prince liked the box!
In this, I think what matter is how you look the inside of the skin. I mean, outward appearance is nice, but what matters is what the inside is. A common idiom, very common, that sometimes it is overlooked.
Asteroid B-612.
The Pilot supposed that the Prince came from Asteroid b-612 which was discovered by a Turkish astronomer in 1909. The Turkish astronomer presented it to the International Astronomical Congress. Nobody believed him about the discovery of a new planet because he was wearing Turkish attire. Fortunately, he was able to represent it in the year 1920 when a Turkish dictator ordered his subjects that everyone should wear European attire. The astronomer, now wearing the European attire, presented his discovery. This time, every believed him.
See the point? Most people look at your status, race and superficial things; they judge you for what you wear and what you look like.
Grown-ups love figures.
As told by the book, most people would base your worth on figures. An example given was if someone would tell you that you saw a house with rosy bricks, geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof, they will never get the point that you are talking about a really beautiful house. But if you told them that the house costs a big sum of money, they’d instantly conclude it as a beautiful one.
The Baobabs.
“Before they grow so big, the baobabs start out by being little.”
This is what the little Prince told about the little bushes that grow in his planet. Baobabs are huge trees that when never tended and never plucked out while still young or little, it’s impossible to be destroyed or worse, the tree would destroy the planet itself.
Just like, I think, bad attitudes. Pluck it out once you noticed they are growing in you before it grows and destroys you. Same way in disciplining kids, discipline them while you can, as early as possible, it is hard to get rid of bad attitudes when tended too late.
“Seeds sleep deep in the heart of the earth’s darkness… but when it is a bad plant, one must destroy it as soon as possible, the very first instant that one recognizes it.”
“Children!...Watch out for the baobabs!”
As the pilot have said, the danger of the ‘baobabs’ is so little understood.
The Sunset.
“Were you sad, then? . . on the day of the forty-four sunsets?” the little prince made no reply.
“Were you sad, then? . . on the day of twenty-three sunsets?” then Art made no reply.
Matter of Consequences.
The Prince asked the Pilot what are the use of the thorns grown by the flowers. The pilot, upset in his plane engine, gave a thoughtless answer that the thorns are of no use. The Prince pondered for a while, and he said he don’t believe the Pilot’s answer that the flowers grow thorns for nothing. The Pilot said that he only said that because he was busy with the matters of consequences.
It is good to look at the result of our actions, but sometimes, we focused wrongly. We usually do things without really thinking, just for the sake of doing it.
Instead of looking at what’s important, they rather focus on the consequences of what if’s and why not’s, and try to walk in the dark. I believe these should not be the questions one must ask in decision making; the question should be “what’s true and important?”
The Rose.
On the little Prince’s planet, grew a unique flower which he had never seen before---it’s a rose. Amazed by the flower’s beauty, he took care of her. But later, the Prince noticed of the Rose’s vanity. So no matter how the Prince loved the Rose, her self importance and pride hurt the Prince. Vanity is difficult to deal with. Then the Prince grew tired of the egotism in the word of the Rose. So on the last day on his planet, he did his usual chores and said good bye to the Rose which he loved. The Prince was hurt. That was the Prince’s story why he left his planet.
But then I liked these words…
“I ought to have judged by deeds and not by the words. (despite of her words) She cast her fragrance and her radiance over me. . . . .But I was too young to know how to love her…”
The Prince started his journey from planets to planets…
Asteroid 325: The King
The first planet was inhabited by a King. The king saw the Prince and was delighted in the presence of a ‘subject’, finally. He gave orders and permissions for the Prince to come near, to sit and even yawn. Astonished by the ‘power’ the King could demonstrate and boast about, the Prince asked the King to show him the sunset. The King said he would order for it, until the conditions are favorable…that is, when the right time comes...the minutes before evening.
“One must require from each one the duty which one can perform. Accepted authority rests first of all on reason.”
Kings have authority, but their orders must be based on reasons and of good grounds, or else, no subject would obey him. If LEADERS are to be obeyed, they should be able to give reasonable orders.
Asteroid 326: The Conceited Man
In this planet, the Prince met a conceited man with his hat. The man said that the hat is for his admirers. The Prince was told to clap his hands, and instantly, the conceited man raised his hat and gave his salute. This continued for five minutes, the clapping and the saluting. The prince asked the man how to make the hat come down, but the man never heard him, he just sees the Prince as one of his admirers.
Conceited people never value anyone but themselves. They think that everything about them is beautiful, vanity just like the Rose’s. They never hear anything but praises; and though there is nothing admirable about them, they just uplift themselves just the same.
Asteroid 327: The Tippler
Here’s the story, quite summarized. Tippler = T. Prince = P.
P: What are you doing?
T: I am drinking. (A liquior)
P: Why are you drinking?
T: So that I may forget.
P: Forget what?
T: Forget that I am ashamed.
P: Ashamed of what?
T: Ashamed of Drinking!
And then the Prince went away…
Tsk, tsk, tsk… most people knows the bondage they are in, and yet they don’t do something to get out of it. People who don’t help themselves bail out of their trouble are not worthy of helping them out. Leave them, just like what the little Prince did. You cannot help people who won’t even help themselves.
Asteroid 328: The Businessman
The Businesman was busy in his counting---counting of the stars which he “owns”. The Prince smirks on the idea of owning the stars for what use are those stars for him? All the businessman could do in his stars are count them, record on a paper, own it, put it a drawer and lock it. The Prince owns little volcanoes which serve as a stove for him, and a flower which he could talk to. But the stars are of no importance for him. In this way, the Prince found the Businessman strange also.
On our investments, are we investing on the things that would last? I, for once is stroked by this one. I work hard, to earn, but am I really earning? Set your treasures above, not on earth; Investments that you could take with you on the life after death. The question again is, is it a matter of importance or just a matter of consequence?
Asteroid 329: The Lamplighter
“There is nothing to understand. Orders are orders.”
This is the small planet of the Lamplighter who is very much dedicated to his job. He just turns on and turns off the lamp when needed everyday. This time, his planet has been revolving faster than usual, making the day and night last for a minute. So he turns on and off the lamp every now and then, because the order hasn’t changed.
CHANGE. Everybody must adopt with change, positively, without compromising the Truth. And also, every Leader, or boss must see to it that better good of his workers are always considered. In this case, the Lamplighter has been doing his job well, but, the circumstances changed, so there’s a need for change in orders as well.
The Prince liked the Lamplighter, because unlike the King, the Businessman, the Conceited Man and the Tippler, the Lamplighter is thinking of something else besides himself.
Asteroid 330: The Geographer

(to be continued...)

Adfafd
Adfafa
Sfs
Sdf
Sf
Sf
Sf
Sdf
Sdf
Sd
Fsd
Fs
Dfsd
F
Sg
Fg
Sfh
sf

171: Dream Jobs

One week na lang ako mag-stay sa Kolin. Resign na kasi ako. Matatapos na ang mga araw ko bilang isang Graphic Artist at Designer for Visual Merchandising. Tinatanong ng karamihan kung ano ang kapalit na trabaho na gusto ko. Sabi ko, wala pa at hindi rin naman ako naghahanap dahil ang mga gusto kong trabaho ay hindi matatagpuan sa classified ads.

Uunahin ko na ang apat na dream jobs na ginawan ko ng photo editings dati:

SUNDALO:

Oo, may pagka warfreak po ako. Gusto ko ang tunog ng bakbakan, kapow, ratatatatat an bagoom! Gusto ko rin po ang training dahil siguradong mawawala ang lahat ng cholesterol at bad elements sa katawan ko. Gusto ko din yun tipong stealth ang labanan. Astig din ang uniform nila, lalo na kung member ka ng top ranking elite forces.

Sa ngayon, Malabo na maging sundalo ako. Pero, di bale, matagal nanaman akong Sundalo ni God. Keep on the Firing Line! Mas challenging ata kalabanin ang evil forces, kasi kapag nakipag gerahan ka ng ganun, hindi namamatay ang kalaban mo.

Kung tutuusin eh nabibigyan pa sila ng real life kapag na convert sila. Astig dba maging Warrior of God? At sa bawat laban na napagtatagumpayan, para kang Super Sayan na nadadagdagan ang level of Power. Taob sila Son Goku at Majin Bu dito. Habang lumalaban lalong lumalakas. Ang astig pa dito ay kumakalaban ka sa mga invisible forces, at ang pinaka astig sa lahat eh napakalakas ng Back up mo, walang katalo-talo. Kaya nga Put on the Armor of God.

MARINO:

Gusto ko ang mundo ng karagatan dito sa planet Earth. Masarap nga siguro maging kapitan ng Barko or maging explorer underwater. Siguro kasi ang dagat ang hindi pa mashado na-e-explore ng tao, kaya hindi pa mashado marumi. (hehe) Gusto ko makakita ng mga dolphins, balyena, giant squids at si Nemo. Gusto ko rin ituloy yun collection ko ng sea shells at starfish. Para kasing may sariling mundo ang underwater world.

Bukod pa dun, gusto ko kasi makasama sa expedition dito sa planet earth. Gusto ko malaman ang wonders ng creation, malaman ang buhay buhay ng lahat ng living creature. Okay din naman maging Piloto, kaso napakabilis ng byahe, hindi na ako magkakaroon ng time to observe. I want to know the truth about the earth and why God did create it. Gusto ko rin ma-experience.

Exciting din kasi maglakbay sa dagat, minsan mainit, minsan mabagyo. Masaya yun, para di naman mashadong boring ang buhay.

Masaya rin siguro banggitin ang “Aye! Aye! Captain!”

Masaya naman talaga ang expedition ng buhay ko. Hindi boring, ang dami ngang challenges. Buti na lng may training ako bilang Warrior of God.

Kaya “aye! Aye! CAPTAIN!”

ASTRAUNAUT:

Hindi po dahil “I NEED SPACE.” Na kadalasan banggitin ng mga mag BF-GF pag gusto nila mag cool-off. Astig ata maging astraunaut, OUTER SPACE! Baka ma-meet ko pa dun ang Pulis-Pangkalawakan na si Papa Shaider. Grabe, imagine the thrill of traveling to the inknown with amazing sights of the stars and the MOON. Gusto ko talaga ang moon.

Kung exciting ang expedition sa Earth, eh lalo na siguro ang expedition sa Outer Space. Astranaut na rin naman ako eh, biruin mo I’m traveling towards the third Heaven, or in common term, HEAVEN. Eenjoyin ko na lang ang byahe. Mag oobserve. Hindi ko alam ang haharapin ko, pero okay lang yun, anjan naman si Boss Almighty.

FIREMAN:

Exciting maging bombero! Eto ang profession na kapag sumakay ka sa sasakyan eh nakasabit ka! Thrilling ang byahe, liban na lang kung heavy traffic, dba? Tapos tutulong ka patayin yun fire na lumalamon sa bahay, at, kapag may mahalagang tao na na stuck sa loob, susugurin mo yun para iligtas sya. Unsung hero!

Syempre, bilang Warrior of God, eh tumutulong tayo ma-extinguish ang fire dito sa earth. Mga FireMan tayo. Mga unsung hero. As firman of God tayo un mga agents para i-extinguish ang fire sa hearts ng mga tao, at mahanap ang importanteng nilalaman sa bawat puso.

(Wow. Di ko maintindihan… bakit ganito ako magsalita lately.)

Yan po ang top jobs na gusto ko.

Siyempre di mawawala ang mga sumusunod:

KARPENTERO: Gusto ko kasi ng magandang bahay, at kung pwede ako sana ang magco-construct. I also want a home na may big heart kay God.

NINJA: Gusto ko kasi tumalon talon from one bubong to another.

PIRATA: Mahilig kasi ako sa mapa at compass

LEGOLAS: May gusto kasi ako panain

HARRY POTTER: Gusto ko magkaroon ng Kwago at Nimbus 2000

PARTNER NI SHAIDER: Para superhero family kami

NAWAWALANG UNICA IHA NI BILL GATES: No need to ask why

SAKURAGI: Love ko talaga ang sport na basketball

IPPO: Ay ayoko maging sya, isa pala sya sa mga Boy Friend ko.

SAMURAI WARRIOR: Gusto ko ang hitten mitsurugi ni Kenshin

DETECTIVE: Good exercise for the brain. Disipulo kasi ako ni Sherlock Holmes at ni Eugene Kiniban: ang Detective ng Spiritual na Mundo. Magiging Class S na Halimaw ako. Bwahahahahar!

-------

Sayang nga lang wala yang mga trabahong yan sa Classified Ads. Edi sana todo apply na ako.

Excited na ako matapos sa Kolin. Pero sa totoo lang ma-mimiss ko ang Kolin. Excited na ako mamulubi, at mabuhay ng malayo sa career, a step closer sa ministry.

Para sa mga nagulat sa pinagsusulat ko, di nakaintindi o na-weirduhan. I understand. Nasa ibang mundo kasi ako ngayon, sama kayo minsan. Di kayo magsisisi.

-----

ART: Seryosong Hindi

Sige na titigilan ko na ito: Kailangan ko lang i-release ang the Force Within