Yes， the smile is the unaffected， unplanned， natural connection between people. I tell this story in my work because I’d like people to consider that underneath all the layers we construct to protect ourselves， our dignity， our titles， our degrees， our status and our need to be seen in certain ways and underneath all that， remains the authentic， essential self. I’m not afraid to call it the soul. I really believe that if that part of you and that part of me could recognize each other， we wouldn’t be enemies. We couldn’t have hate or envy or fear. I sadly conclude that all those other layers， which we so carefully construct through our lives， distance and insulate us from truly contacting others. Saint-Exupery’s story speaks of that magic moment when two souls recognize each other.
I’ve had just a few moments like that. Falling in love is one example. And looking at a baby. Why do we smile when we see a baby？ Perhaps it’s because we see someone without all the defensive layers， someone whose smile for us we know to be fully genuine and without guile. And that baby-soul inside us smiles wistfully in recognition.
在美国，安东尼？圣？埃克苏佩里的《小王子》几乎家喻户晓。小孩子觉得那是个神奇的童话，成年人则认为那是个哲理故事，发人深省。至于圣？埃克苏佩里的其他作品和故事，很少有人知道。
圣？埃克苏佩里是名空军士兵，参加过反纳粹战争，在执行任务时不幸身亡。“二战”前，他参加了西班牙内战，抗击法西斯，以此为素材，他写了篇感人至深的《微笑》。现在，我们就来回味这个故事。故事是否真实无从考证，我宁愿相信那是作者的亲身所历。
作者说，他被敌人俘虏并关进了监狱，看到看守那轻蔑的眼神、粗暴的态度，他肯定自己明天就会命丧九泉。下面，我根据我的回忆，用我的语言把这个故事讲给你们听。