101 in 1001 days: goal 19 [progress]

i believe that for his escape he took advantage of the migration of a flock of wild birds. On the morning of his departure he put his planet in perfect order, … he believed that he would never want to return. … but on this last morning all these familiar tasks seemed very precious to him. and when he watered the flower for the last time, and prepared to place her under the shelter of her glass globe, he realized that he was very close to tears.

"goodbye," he said to the flower.

but she made no answer.

"goodbye," he said again.

the flower coughed. but it was not because she had a cold.

"i have been silly," she said to him, at last. "i ask your forgiveness. try to be happy..."

he was surprised by this absence of reproaches. he stood there all bewildered, the glass globe held arrested in mid-air. he did not understand this quiet sweetness.

"of course i love you," the flower said to him. "it is my fault that you have not known it all the while. that is of no importance. but you — you have been just as foolish as i. try to be happy... let the glass globe be. i don't want it any more."

"but the wind — "

"my cold is not so bad as all that... the cool night air will do me good. i am a flower."

"but the animals — "

"well, i must endure the presence of two or three caterpillars if i wish to become acquainted with the butterflies. it seems that they are very beautiful. and if not the butterflies — and the caterpillars — who will call upon me? you will be far away... as for the large animals — i am not at all afraid of any of them. i have my claws."

and, naïvely, she showed her four thorns. then she added:

"don't linger like this. you have decided to go away. now go!"

for she did not want him to see her crying. she was such a proud flower.

[le petit prince. antoine de saint exupery.]

the image above is the tattoo i want. in fact, it is number 19 on my 101 in 1001 list. i hope to get it while in france. in order to motivate me to save up the money for it [ie: not drink so much] i have decided to post about it. i'm sure you're familiar with the book 'le petit prince'. well i never read it as a child. the first time i read it was in high school french class, during my senior year. that year was, for numerous reasons, a life-defining year for me. among more personal, deeper meanings, le petit prince was the first book i ever read in french. i think it would be fitting to get this tattoo while studying in france, something someone who was once the world to me told i would never be strong enough to do. i plan on getting it towards the end of my stay in france, to symbolize the successful completion of a year abroad. because to be honest, im still not sure ill last!

now i have wanted this tattoo for months now, but it will be quite large and quite expensive. i told myself i would get it right when i begun my search, then before leaving the states, then while in london, and now i am saying i will get it while in france. i think if i say it out loud and publish it on the internet where i will see it almost daily, i will be more likely to follow through.

i'm changing the picture a bit. i want no color, only the outline. it will start on my left rib cage, the first bird will sit at the top of my rib cage, on my left side right under the side strap of my bra,  the rest of the flock of birds flying away from my heart, following the curve of my breast, the strings right under my ribs. the body of little prince will fall on the side of my torso,  the asteroid and the flower he is leaving behind will be placed in the hollow created by my hip bone. i am not getting any of the planets or stars.

i think that i will include a quote from the book. i need to get it drawn out, to figure out the placement perfectly. but it will most likely be either:

les yeux sont aveugles. il faut chercher avec le coeur. [the eyes are blind. you must search with the heart.]

or

on ne voit bien qu’avec le cœur. l’essentiel est invisible pour les yeux. [it is only with the heart that one can see rightly, what is essential is invisible to the eye.]

now i am a bit uncertain of this plan, but only because i'm worried about explaining this in french to a french tattoo artist. plus, paying for it in euros rather than dollars will make it a bit more expensive, although less so than pounds would. beyond that, i need a really good artist who is excellent with detail. im sure i'll be able to find one who understands me and is capable of the detail i request, and i am willing to pay for it. it just has so much meaning, i cant imagine not getting it.