Whys

Grown-ups "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 many brothers has 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 ... But certainly, for us who understand life, figures are a matter of indifference."

So, if they ask me why, I will tell them: because he has the softest voice, the most delicate hands, the most contagious smile. Because inside of him lives the tenderest of souls, because running my fingers through his hair feels like walking barefoot through spring grass. Because fire barely matches his passion, and the ocean can compete with the depth of his eyes. Because he thinks as deep as he feels, because he cares too much. Because under his skin smolders desire and his soul is trapped between wavelengths of pain and light.
Because neither name nor age nor status define him.
So, when they tell me I know not about him, I will only smile. I know more than they ever will. I know and love what matters, the elephant inside.

Text and image by Antoine de Saint-Exupery ("Le Petit Prince")