THE WIND SAND and STARS (excerpts) (by Antoine de Saint Exupery 1900-1944. French writer, who also wrote "The Little Prince", Distinguished aviator. Died on a mission over the Mediterranean during WWII)
"The face of the sea is as variable as that of the earth. To passengers, the storm is invisible. Seen from a great height, the waves have no relief and the packets of fog have no movement.
The sea is like a splintered mirror. These colours of earth and sky, these traces of wind over the face of the sea, these clouds tell of the quality of the night to come.
The threat of frost, a promise of rain, so all that happens in the sky signals to the pilot the oncoming snow, the expectancy of fog, or the peace of a blessed night.
The hours during which one flies over this mirror are hours in which there is no assurance of the possession of anything in the world.
Dawn and twilight become events of consequence.
Alone before the vast tribunal of the tempestuous sky, the pilot defends his mails and debates on terms of equality with those of three elemental divinites.
The surface of the sea appears to be covered with great white motionless palm trees.
Palm trees marked with ribs and seams stiff in a sort of frost.
The hydoplane pilot knows there is no landing here.
The face of the sea is as variable as that of the earth.
Well not be worth the embrace of man and storm.
Look to the clouds they tell of the direction of the wind or the progress of the storm, and the quality of the night to come."
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