Turning another Page

Morning of my 31'st

So, just recently turned 31  . . Yeih!!  Not sure if I’m supposed to be as happy as I feel turning older but for some reason I do.  In reality I don’t feel older,  I mean my mind feels older but my physical body does not.  Is that weird or what? Can anyone else relate . . . Anyhow lately there has been a lot of changes in my life almost like a new beginning.

Right before my birthday something very weird and extraordinary happened!  I was at work like every other day, checking e-mails, fulfilling on-line orders, on the phone with customers and so on- my typical day at work when an older man came in my store that smelled very strong like nag-champa incense.  I had a couple customers waiting to get rung up so I told the man “I’ll be with you in a minute” he didn’t say a word he just smiled and kept staring at me.  Hmm I thought maybe by the looks of him he may be lost . . . I mean I don’t’ want to assume he doesn’t play soccer or anything like that but he looked pretty old.

He had long white hair, very dark skin and really black undertones of black along is eyelids almost like black eyeliner.   I was trying to put everything together and realized he might be at the wrong place because next door was a Yoga Studio. As soon as I was done helping my other customers I said to him;  “Hi I think you are looking for the Yoga Studio?”  He smiled and said; “No, I am at the right place” with a really thick Indian accent.   I looked surprised but then I said to him; “What can I help you with?” He answered;  “No help- I am here for you.” I then was really thrown off.

I looked at him and before I could speak he said “You are turning another age soon, you are beginning a new life and your eye of enlightenment is beginning to open“ as he reached over to touch me.  Immediately I backed away from him very weirded out!  He said in a soft and very calm voice, “it’s OK I am not here to hurt you” as he reached over and touched the middle of my forehead.  It felt strange since nobody had ever done that to me- I mean I have listened to Chopra and I do have some New Age and Spiritual friends but I have my own ideas of “spiritualism”  I’ve always believed in re-incarnation and stuff , even think that we are just recyclables that keep coming back to this earth until we reach our highest potential as one.  Not sure where that comes from since I was raised Roman-Catholic . . anyhow getting back to my thoughts-

So I starred at him as he was touching my forehead and he said; “You are ready, your energy has brought me here to you.  Your Higher-Self and Spirit already know what I’m about to tell you, it’s your physical body who needs to physically believe it’s ready.” Yeah you could say I was pretty much in shock. I didn’t say a word it was like I became mute and my eyes were wide open sucking every bit of information and imagery of this man.

As he went on he told me everything that has gone in my life and why, he mentioned numbers and chantras, and symbols, he mentioned days and spoke in Punjabi I believe.  I just listened . . . He grabbed my hand and he said “I am passing what was given to me before I turned your age, now I am passing it to you.  When you feel the right moment with the right energy you must pass it to that person as well.” I felt my hand getting so hot that my whole arm was feeling numb. He then asked me, “Do you recognize me?” I tranced out and let go of his hand.  He asked me again “Does your soul recognize me?” I said “Yes“.  Even though I was saying in the back of my mind; “What the hell are you talking about you don’t know this crazy man!!!”  He then asked me, then tell me what my name is with a huge smile on his face. I didn’t even blink before I blurred out; “Deepak“

He then started writing down a bunch of stuff on a white sheet of paper, while looking at me straight in the eyes and said; “Keep this and when you are ready open it up and chant it, it is part of your awakening process it will help with the third eye.” H e then looked up and chanted something in his language  and said I will see you again.  As he started walking out I shouted; “Is your name really Deepak?” He turned around and before I could even ask he took out his beat up old leather wallet and took out his  ID it read Deepak Rutmi.  He looked at me and said; your mind is very strong and it confirmed why I had come in and see you.  He said goodbye, “Mimi” and that was the last of him I ever saw.   Mimi is one of my many nicknames that only my family calls me . . .  my real name is very hard to pronounce.  I never mentioned my real name nor my nickname to him-

I am still wondering about that day and still thinking about everything he said.  Guess you don’t really think about your existence or what connection it has to everyone else or how synchronized we really are to each other. . . . .     (very much in shock still)

My first book, when I was young.

“Le Petit Principe” or in English “The Little Prince”-by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

My first copy was in Spanish called  ”El Pequeno Principito” and I believe it has been translated into more than 180 languages.

Published in 1943 the book was a sensational book for everyone to enjoy.  As time went on the book got less recognition until the Movie was made in 1974 with one of my favorite actors, Gene Wilder.  Although it is  a children’s book, it makes several profound and idealistic observations about life and human nature.

The book starts by automatically switching from third person to first person narrating. It’s from here that we learn about the Little Prince and his planet B612.

Favorite Quote: “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

I was about 7 or 8 when I received this book.  As soon as it was in my hands I did not let go of it.  This book opened my imagination and my curiosity. It also explained everything I know now as an adult.  One particular Chapter that changed my life was when The little prince met the Fox.  I had always grown up with animals like birds, turtles and ducks but after I read this chapter I begged and begged for a tiny little fox . . . .  never got one

Guess I didn’t realize at that age that foxes were not to be treated like pets . . . But now as an adult I still want one.  I have heard that some people do have them as pets. When I was in Portland visiting some friends they lived up in a forest like camping ground and they had many foxes that came and ate left overs every morning.  It was wonderful! I got to actually see them up close and one in particular was my favorite. I named him “Jonnyboy” at the time I was into John Lennon quite a bit.

Chapter: 21   The Little Prince meets the Fox

“Good morning” said the fox. ”Good morning” said the Little Prince ”Who are you?” asked the Little Prince, and added, “You are very pretty to look at.” ”I am a fox”, the fox said. ”Come and play with me,” proposed the Little Prince ”I cannot play with you,” the fox said, “I am not tamed.” ”AH please excuse me,” said the Little Prince. But after some thought, he added: “what does that mean—’tame’?”  What does that mean—tame?”  ”It is an act too often neglected,” said the fox. “It means to establish ties.”  ”To establish ties?” “Just that,” said the fox.  ”To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you.  And you, on your part, have no need of me.”  To you I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes.  But if you tame me, then we shall need each other.  To me, you will be unique in all the world.”  To you, I shall be unique in all the world. . .”  “I am beginning to understand,” said the Little Prince.

“My life is very monotonous,” sighed the fox.  ”I hunt chickens; men hunt me. All 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 there? 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 color 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. . .”  The fox gazed at the Little Prince, for a long time. “Please—tame me!” he said.  ”I want to, very much,” the little prince replied. “But I have not much time. I have great many things to understand.”  ”One only understands the things that one tames,” said the fox.  ”Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me. . .

“The next day the Little Prince came back.   ”It would have been better to come back at the same hour,” said the fox.  ”If for example, you came at four o’clock in the afternoon, then at three o’clock I shall begin to be happy. I shall feel happier and happier as  the hour advances. At four o’clock, I shall be worrying and jumping about. I shall show you how happy I am!  But if you come at just any time, I shall never know at what hour my heart is ready to greet you.. One must observe the proper rites. .”  ”What is a rite?” asked the Little Prince. “Those also are actions too often neglected,” said the fox. “they are what make one day different from other days, one hour different from other hours.  So the Little Prince tamed the fox.  Finally when the hour of his departure drew near—  ”Ah,” said the fox, “I shall cry.”  ”It is your own fault,” said the Little Prince. “I never wished you any sort of harm; but you wanted me to tame you.  ”Yes that is so”, said the fox.  ”But now you are going to cry!” said the Little Prince.  ”Yes that is so” said the fox.  ”Then it has done you no good at all!”

“It has done me good,” said the fox, “because of the color of the wheat fields.”  No one has tamed you, and you have tamed no one. You are my fox, only a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But I have made a friend, and now he is unique in all the world.”  And he went back to meet the fox.  Hello” he said. “Hello,” said the fox.  ”What must I do, to tame you? asked the Little Prince. “You must be very patient,” replied the fox.  First you will sit down at a little distance from me -like that – in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing.  Words are the source of misunderstandings.  But you will sit a little closer to me, every day…”

‘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.
“Men have forgotten this truth,” said the fox. “But you must not forget it.
You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed. You are responsible for your fox”
“I am responsible for my fox,” the Little Prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

I still get teary eyed everytime I read this-  specially when you see Gene Wilder act like the actual fox .

“On ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. L’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.”