I have never been so glad to be able to find a book. (Ok, that is probably not true. I feel the exact same way everytime I come across a book I really want to read.)
I stumbled upon a list compiled by Forbes on the 50 books people were looking forward to read this summer. Among the 50 books, 'The Alchemist' caught my eye. I checked it out on Wiki and really liked the book cover so I proceeded to read what the story was all about.
My Heart Is Afraid that it will have to suffer," the boy told the alchemist one night as they looked up at the moonless sky."Tell your heart that the fear of suffering is worse than the suffering itself. And that no heart has ever suffered when it goes in search of its dreams."
Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of its readers forever. The Alchemist is such a book. With over a million and a half copies sold around the world, The Alchemist has already established itself as a modern classic, universally admired. Paulo Coelho's charming fable, now available in English for the first time, will enchant and inspire an even wider audience of readers for generations to come.
The Alchemist is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert to a fateful encounter with the alchemist.
The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories have done, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life's path, and, above all, following our dreams.
(credits: Google Book Review)
I really, really enjoyed reading the book. Beneath the seemingly simple storyline lies a very deep message. I found myself reflecting upon the events of my life- each and every single one that has led me to where I am today. I also could not help but cry when I reached certain sections of the book. It is not the story that had cause me to weep but rather, the feelings it evoked.
I find myself wondering about my 'Personal Legend'. Am I responding to my calling in life? Or am I just one of those who have lost hope and succumbed to a life which may bring me enough food on the table but not one that would make me jump out of bed each morning?
It can't be the former. I'm still so young. I can't lose faith in my dreams- not yet, not now and hopefully not ever!
There are so many lessons in the book- most of which I have come across in previous books I have read such as The Secret, The Little Prince, The Power, etc- although I understand the message these books are trying to bring across, I am still not able to put them fully into practice.
The Soul of the World, the omens, the language of the Universe- I know they exist, I believe they exist.
To let go, to have faith, to love the unconditional love, to see the world in a grain of sand, heaven in a wild flower and eternity in an hour....I'm afraid I'm not quite there yet.
I'm still selfish, I still crave for things I know I shouldn't, I still harbour selfish dreams, I still lose faith every now and then, I still cry for silly reasons, I still wish for silly things, I still allow myself to be affected by others' words and actions, I still allow others to irritate/frustrate me, I am still attached to people and things... yes, even lifeless things like my pencil case & sports shoes.
The rubber from the bottom of my sport shoe is torn but I still cannot bear to throw it away and get a new pair because it has been a loyal companion on many of my trips around the world- M'sia, Australia, Singapore, U.K, France, Spain & Morocco. Perhaps I am not only attached to my shoes- but my memories as well.
But I like to think that I am making progress, albeit tiny, baby steps...
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