Promise。To The One You Love

This is a book written by a Korean(沈承炫) who wants to share with everyone about his interpretation of the true meaning of PROMISE. Promises to the ones you love and to the ones you are caring so as to give them strength, hope or support to bring them out from the toughness.

The book is adorned with excellent and beautiful illustration. It is definitely a book which is worth buying and gets collected even though it is a bit pricey. I got it from Harris bookstore and it cost me RM37.20 .

The author used the sunflower, larva, butterfly, little wild flower, sun, wind, forest and the island to depict how the butterfly insisted on keeping her promise to the little wild flower, the one she loved, to the extent of sacrificing her life. She did it with no regret.

Fleur, the sunflower was admiring the brilliant sun that hanging high up in the sky but she just couldn’t reach him and let him know how much she liked him. At the same time, there was one little wild flower lying low on the ground and sitting just next to the sunflower. His name was Court. Court admired the sunflower. He always tried to get her attention by producing lots of pollen and had the wind brought them to Fleur. However, he didn’t realize that Fleur was allergic to pollen and it irritated her. One’s admiring turned into hatred for another unintentionally. Also, Fleur had never noticed the existence of Court as she never looked down all the while. Court was sad. So, he kept spreading his pollen, hoping that one day she would give him a glance.

Beaute, an ugly but kind larva approached Court. However, she was turned away with the reason – ugly and disgusting outlook. This is just how people nowadays behaved. They always judged things from the cover. No one ever bothers to try to understand the inner world of an ugly duck! So, Beaute was sad and she left the place. She moved to the forest as that was the only warmest place that could let her cure her bleeding heart. Soon, she transformed into a beautiful butterfly and she was nicknamed Promise. Promise had no right hand and her long curly hair looked very much like the replacement. This could have symbolized that nothing is perfect. God is always righteous and never biased to anyone.

Promise came back to the island again and saw Court. Court didn’t recognize her as she was now the beautiful. He didn’t refuse her help this time as she looked better to him. He was childish, wasn’t him?! Promise helped Court to send his love to Fleur. But, Fleur had no intention of getting to know Court. She thought of having a deal with Promise that she would only be friended with Court if Promise could help her to bring a message to the sun. Promise agreed to it and gave a vow.

It was an extremely long and tired journey for Promise but she never gave up. She kept motivating herself to accomplish the task. She didn’t want to break the promise between her and Court, and also with Fleur. She got even more tired when she got close to the sun as it was turning hotter and hotter. Errance - the wind offered her a drive with the condition that she must always remember him. He was a tramp who didn’t have to be disturbed or tied to. He liked to be free. However, he was also invisible and transparent to others. People only thought of him when the branches of the tree swayed. He tended to be forgotten. Therefore, he hoped be remembered always.

Prisonnier is the name of the sun. He was lonely and timid and lacked of concern and caring from others. He wanted to draw the attention from others. That’s why he built up a machine call SUN that generated brilliant sunshine to everyone on the island. He thought for the very least, he contributed something to benefit others and he would somehow be appraised. It turned out that most of the creatures were attracted to him and started to approach him. But, they ended up being destroyed and burned as the sunlight was too strong. He had destroyed those who he would like to attract. Eventually, he isolated himself and went as far as he could. He stayed high up in the sky ever since. He got even lonelier!

Promise was getting closer and closer to Prisonnier. She felt herself being surrounded by fire. The feeling was killing. Prisonnier shouted out loudly to Promise for not to continuing the journey but Promise just would not listen. She replied:“I want to do something for the one I love. I must fulfill my promise to him even if I have to sacrifice my life. I would never regret.” “Prisonnier, there is a sunflower on the island called Fleur. She wants me to send her greeting and her golden petal as a souvenir to u…” Eventually, Promise was burned into ashes in the sunshine. Sadly, Errance carried her ashes and brought it back to the forest. He hoped to have Promise resting in peace in the land that she loved.

Prisonnier kept his oath to Promise by talking to Fleur and Fleur, in turn did the same to Court. They were all lonely at first but Promise linked them altogether. Her effort was not wasted at the end. Wasn’t she a great one? She chose to love bravely and bring happiness to everyone.

Every promise grows from the feeling of love. Love is the real motivation of all. It motivates us to challenge which we once thought to be unachievable and perform beyond ourselves and our limits.