It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Only With the Heart

Topic: Love, Compassion, & Kindness

And he went back to meet the fox. “Goodbye,” he said. “Goodbye,” said the fox. “And now here is my secret, a very simple secret: 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. “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” “It is the time I have wasted for my rose–” said the little prince, 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 rose . . .” “I am responsible for my rose,” the little prince repeated, so that he would be sure to remember.

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was born on June 29, 1900, in Lyon, France, into a family that embraced creativity and enterprise. The second of five children, he grew up surrounded by innovation. His studies in architecture and engineering at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris led him to the skies. As a commercial pilot and later a military aviator with the French Air Force, Saint-Exupéry found meaning and inspiration as he navigated the vast expanses of the South Atlantic and South America.

Saint-Exupéry's experiences in aviation informed his worldview and his writing. Rather than just a job, flying was a living metaphor for understanding life and human relationships. Through works like "The Little Prince," "Wind, Sand and Stars," and "Night Flight," he shared insights into love, friendship, and the wonder of seeing the world with fresh eyes. "The Little Prince" became particularly beloved, reaching hearts across cultures and languages, and becoming one of the world's most-read books.

Complexity and sensitivity marked Saint-Exupéry's life. He married twice and had two children. His idealistic view of the world was often at odds with the violence he saw, but he never lost hope for a peaceful future. The Legion of Honor recognized his service, but his life's journey ended abruptly and mysteriously on July 31, 1944, during a reconnaissance mission. The absence of his physical remains adds a mystic quality to his legacy. His work, grounded in love and interconnectedness, continues to speak to readers, offering a gentle guidance towards a kinder world.

(1900-1944) Humanism, Arts and Sciences
The Little Prince

Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de. The Little Prince. Translated by Richard Howard. New York: Harcourt, 1943. Print. [The Little Prince, Chapter 11.]

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

Theme: Love

About This Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Quotation [Commentary]

Antoine de Saint-Exupéry writes, “It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.” In The Little Prince, this line is spoken by the fox, who offers it as “a very simple secret.” It names a difference between outer and inner ways of seeing. The eye may notice surface features, but the heart perceives value, meaning, and connection. In Saint-Exupéry’s terms, what truly matters cannot be seen. This is not an abstract idea but something that must be remembered and practiced—so the little prince repeats the words aloud: “What is essential is invisible to the eye.”

The fox continues, “It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.” The fox is not condemning this time, but revealing its worth. The word “wasted” is turned gently on its head—it names the quiet, unnoticed labor of love. That time, freely given, forms the bond. And once formed, Saint-Exupéry writes, “You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.” Responsibility is not a burden but a natural result of connection. The little prince, repeating the fox’s words—“I am responsible for my rose”—tries to hold onto this truth.

“Men have forgotten this truth,” the fox says. In a world shaped by speed and appearances, the heart’s way of seeing can be overlooked. But Saint-Exupéry calls the reader to remember. What is essential may not be visible, but it can be known—through presence, care, and commitment. “You are responsible for your rose.” This is how love begins, and how it is sustained: by seeing with the heart, and remaining faithful to what we have chosen to care for.

Additional Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Quotes

“To love is to see with the heart”

—Antoine de.Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars. Chapt. 15.[Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de. Wind, Sand and Stars. Translated by William Rees. New York: Harcourt, 1939. Print.]

“Love is not just looking at each other, it’s looking in the same direction.”

—Antoine de.Saint-Exupéry, Wind, Sand and Stars. Chapt. 15.

“You become responsible, forever, for what you have tamed.”

—Antoine de.Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, Chapter 21. [Saint-Exupéry, Antoine de. The Little Prince. Translated by Richard Howard. New York: Harcourt, 1943. Print.]

“It is the time you have wasted for your rose that makes your rose so important.”

—Antoine de.Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince, Chapter 6.

Only With the Heart

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