When I opened my eyes I saw nothing but the pool of nocturnal sky, for I was lying on my back with out-stretched arms, face to face with that hatchery of stars. Only half awake, still unaware that those depths were sky, having no roof between those depths and me, no branches to screen them, no root to cling to, I was seized with vertigo and felt myself as if flung forth and plunging downward like a diver.
Interpretation
The quote reflects a profound sense of wonder and vulnerability in experiencing the vastness of the cosmos.
In this quote, Antoine De Saint-Exupery describes a moment of pure amazement and introspection while lying under the night sky. He captures the contrast between being half-awake and fully aware of the infinite universe above, illustrating how the sight of stars can evoke feelings of both vertigo and exhilaration. This experience highlights the beauty and overwhelming nature of the cosmos, making the individual feel small in comparison to the vastness, while also inviting a deeper contemplation of existence.
In practice
This quote is perfect for inspiring a group during a stargazing event.
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.
Attitude is a paintbrush. It colors everything!
Water, thou hast no taste, no color, no odor; canst not be defined, art relished while ever mysterious. Not necessary to life, but rather life itself, thou fillest us with a gratification that exceeds the delight of the senses.
In those days, I didn't understand anything. I should have judged her according to her actions, not her words. She perfumed my planet and lit up my life. I should never have run away! I ought to have realized the tenderness underlying her silly pretensions. Flowers are so contadictory! But I was too young to know how to love her.
When a mystery is too overpowering, one dare not disobey.
When the body sinks into death, the essence of man is revealed. Man is a knot, a web, a mesh into which relationships are tied. Only those relationships matter. The body is an old crock that nobody will miss. I have never known a man to think of himself when dying. Never.
But man is a part of nature, and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.
It was a cold day but the sun was out and the trees were like great bonfires against gray distant fields and hills.
You carry Mother Earth within you. She is not outside of you. Mother Earth is not just your environment.
The sea is only the embodiment of a supernatural and wonderful existence. It is nothing but love and emotion; it is the 'Living Infinite.
Water is on the table for every single one us. When it's gone, game over. I don't care what company you run; I don't care if you're Republican or liberal.
Indeed, the night sky is the part of our environment that's been common to all cultures throughout human history. All have gazed up at the 'vault of heaven' and interpreted it in their own way.
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