“I fervently believe that the entire technological and communication revolution has to be accompanied by a spiritual revolution, because otherwise, there will be no experiences that enrich us,” says the Argentine poet, writer and philanthropist in this text that he wrote especially for GENTE.
I was only ten years old when I discovered “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Never had a book impacted me in such a way as that one, at that moment. I was shocked and at the same time a little sad. I couldn’t help but wonder what would have happened to this special child if he had continued living among us. What would your adolescence have been like?
Time passed, I grew up, I went through adolescence and that need to demand an answer at the end of the book subsided. However, at 18 years old I was overcome by a feeling of emptiness, I felt that I was not enjoying life. How can someone so young feel incomplete? Over time I observed that to be happy you have to achieve a balance between emotion, feeling and reason.. And that was precisely what I was missing: to live with more feeling, because happiness was found in enjoying and valuing every moment. To reach this conclusion, it was necessary to delve into reading books on personal improvement and philosophy, to try to understand what was causing me to be sad and work to be better.
However, it was not until I was 40 that I managed to overcome that sadness, although I also realized that it is not something easy to maintain. At that moment it seemed necessary to me to capture what was happening to me in a book and what I had felt during my childhood, when I read Saint-Exupéry’s work for the first time, came back to me in my head. I always tried to live in accordance with the values that are transmitted in it, although it was undoubtedly not easy and in that novel there are no guidelines on how to live them either. “The Return of the Young Prince” sought to give a second part to the story of the Little Prince and transmit, once again, essential values in people’s lives. Perhaps, the guide that I would have needed to read in my adolescence.
Today, twenty years after having written that book, and observing that young man that I was from afar, I perceive that adolescents are locked in virtual worlds, glued to their screens, and that those values that I sought to transmit back in 2008, when the novel was published, they gradually faded away. The meaning of friendship, relating to others, and the emotional bond is being lost.. In the era of social networks, only likes, the number of followers or who has the latest version of the cell phone of the moment count. I fervently believe that the entire technological and communication revolution has to be accompanied by a spiritual revolution, because if not, there will be no experiences that enrich us.
Considering this panorama led me to want to write a new chapter in the story, one that would take the original message of both books. But on this occasion, its protagonist should go through the same situations that young people his age go through at school: bullying, misunderstanding with parents, the need to fit in among peers, love, friendship.
In times when everything is ephemeral and fast, we must take the time to think and value every small moment of our short life. We come into the world to be happy and, if possible, ensure that those around us are also happy.. It has taken me several years to reach that level of fulfillment, but at 60 years old, I have come to understand what really keeps the roulette wheel of life spinning:
- Family: Stay faithful to your roots and take care of family ties, always remembering the values instilled.
- Friends: They are the family that one chooses, with whom we share the sorrows and the greatest joys. Unconditional.
- Sports: It is essential to stay active, whether it is a simple walk, a game of paddle tennis or playing soccer or swimming.
- Idleness: the importance of enjoying the small moments: reading a good book, watching a movie or sharing a game with friends.
- Eat Healthy: our body will be our home during our time in this world; The better you eat, the better you will feel.
- Love: It is the engine of life, without it we would be nothing. Every action we take must be done from love.
- Passions: It is difficult, but everyone must find something that excites them. In my case, I found passion in poetry, letters and the power of the word.
- Help others: Even if it is with the smallest action, knowing that we are doing something for each other is a great step for humanity.
- Embrace: The hug helps us connect, a hug can be healing.
- Stay updated: Activating and updating our brain helps us understand new generations.
- Connect with nature: Surrounding ourselves with nature helps us understand where we come from, take care of our habitat and connect with ourselves.
- Know how to pause screens: Being constantly connected harms us and isolates us from reality.
- Have faith: We should all believe in something. Having faith helps us not lose hope.
- Be true to yourself: listen to our inner voice, respect ourselves and not do things in order to please others, unless it comes from the heart.
- Be happy: It is one of the things that was most difficult for me to achieve, it took me a long time to be aware of what really fulfills me.
