When my grandfather passed away five years ago, I was intimidated by “death.” It was a weird feeling that someone who you just talked with days ago, vanished from the reality you were living in. I wondered, for months, “Where is my grandpa at this moment,” and I wondered, “Will I, someday, vanish too?”
Death became a formidable topic to me, and when talking about it, I turned inconsolable. It was at that time, that I encountered the Little Prince. It is a book written by Antoine de Saint-Exupery about the encounter, in the middle of the Sahara, between a pilot and the Little Prince who came from an asteroid. The Little Prince and the pilot bond over a drawing of a sheep inside a box. The boy tells the pilot about the people he met on other asteroids. A year to the day after the boy's arrival, he allows himself to be bitten by a snake that he believes has the power to send him back to his home on the asteroid.
The Little Prince empowered me to view death from a different angle: Death provides a way of permanent existence. Death is never the end, only the fading of memory.
I could still remember the last thing the Little Prince told the pilot, “In one of stars, I shall be living; in one of the stars, I shall be laughing. So it will be as if all the stars are laughing when you look up at the sky at night. And you, only you, will have the stars that can laugh.”
Amazed by this beautiful and touching language, I was eager to learn more about Antoine de Saint-Exupery. What were the experiences and culture that shaped him and influenced his language? Thinking that languages offer insights into cultures, I chose to study French in my middle school.
In the beginning of the IMS school year, Jean-Marc came to our school. I encountered him several times in the hallway and in the dining hall, but never spoke to him. He had a distinct look, of one who was both happy and lost. I thought, “He must be lonely because no one can communicate with him.” But I could only think, as the courage to speak French had disappeared after not speaking it for over half a year.
This continued. We kept brushing past each other in the halls, until one day, my French mentor Ms. Zeiler found me.
"Have you ever talked to Jean-Marc?" she asked.
"No..,” I responded slowly, “I'm not sure if I can still communicate in French, with a native speaker."
"It doesn't matter,” she encouraged. “I know that he will be very happy to hear his mother language again no matter how you speak. It must be tough for him here, and you have the chance to make his day, especially since you are the same age!"
I gave a narrow smile, but had already began to form our first conversation in my mind. I would first ask him about his day, introduce myself, and then tell him some special traditions at our school. As I walked into the dining hall and sat down, I looked up to see Jean-Marc sitting right by me. I struggled a bit and finally decided to start the conversation. I began with, "Bonjour, comment ca va?" instead of "Hello, how are you?".
I will never forget the look of appreciation on his face; it was the look of someone who is finally back in an environment in which he is comfortable, where he is no longer isolated. I further shared with him some rules in the dining hall and dorms, as well as the upcoming Mountain Day event. When he learned that this was also my first year, he smiled – a big and bright smile that reminded me of the bright laughing stars in The Little Prince. At that moment, I suddenly realized how correct my mentor was, and how powerful languages are.
The language I’m speaking right now is on its way to becoming the world’s universal language. We’ve reached a point where people are beginning to ask, “Why bother learning languages other than English?” My experiences drove home for me how crucial it is to explore, know and understand other cultures through languages.
When I think about the origin of my passion, I always recall the time when I was sitting near the bay window with the Little Prince in my lap, wiping my tears. I am grateful, as is so often the case in life, something so painful ultimately led to something so meaningful and joyful. The death of my grandfather inspired me to search for an answer, and to attach to the Little Prince. This was the beginning of my exploration and love of languages. I’m also grateful, for the fact that I could communicate with Jean-Marc, and possessed the courage to utilize this language skill in a way that brings joy to other people.
Language may not channel one's thoughts, but it can definitely channel the power of making people feel happy and included. Language empowers me to imbibe a culture, to become part of it when needed. Language is a ticket to being able to participate in the culture of the people who speak it. Learning different languages does help us gain further insight into other ideas, cultures, and writings that can further expand my mind and provide comfort, not just for myself, but also comfort I can share with others, and this, is the power of languages. This I believe.