I just finished reading The Alchemist again. The first time I read Paulo Coelho's masterpiece was just before I was scheduled for my Singapore Scholarship interview. (During the interview, I mentioned that one of my hobbies is reading, and so I was asked for the title of the last book I have read. I gaily answered 'The Alchemist', then Mr. Paul Koh retorted 'Oh because it's the thinnest book in the world'. But later he turned out to be a really nice guy.)
I appreciated the book more the second time around. I can very much relate to Santiago's experiences in his quest to fulfill his Personal Legend. I almost laughed out loud when I read this part, because I've just had a similar experience:
He was so ashamed that he wanted to cry. He had never even wept in front of his own sheep. But the marketplace was empty, and he was far from home, so he wept. He wept because God was unfair, and because this was the way God repaid those who believed in their dreams.
When I had my sheep, I was happy, and I made those around me happy. People saw me coming and welcomed me, he thought. But now I'm sad and alone. I'm going to become bitter and distrustful of people because one person betrayed me. I'm going to hate those who have found their treasure because I never found mine. And I'm going to hold on to what little I have, because I'm too insignificant to conquer the world.
This is the part of the story where the hero almost gives up his quest for the treasure hidden beneath the great Pyramids of Egypt. It's always like that, there's always some point in our lives when we're ready to give up fulfilling our destiny when facing obstacles along the way. But Santiago persisted and overcame all odds, and he ultimately found the treasure he was searching for. The funny thing is, the treasure wasn't found in the Pyramids. It was buried in an old church in Andalusia, where Santiago hails from, and where he first had this recurring dream about a treasure buried beneath the Pyramids. It turns out that fate just played a joke on him, that he didn't have to travel and cross the desert because his treasure was just right there where he started. But if he knew that from the start, then he wouldn't have met the alchemist, the beautiful gypsy woman who was later to become his wife, and all the other interesting people who was able to teach him him a thing or two about life; he wouldn't have seen the majestic pyramids and all the other exotic places; and he would have been robbed of the richness of the experience of his journey.
Paulo Coelho had put very beautifully what I think everyone wants to know: When you want something with all your heart, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. But of course, you meet obstacles along the way to prepare your spirit and your will. And if I may add, to spice up the journey and make it all the more exciting.
I am actually excited about how my life is unfolding. Sometimes I'd like to take a backseat and just observe the course of my life from a bird's eye view, as if I'm looking at another person live her life. I'm excited about my love life - about who I'm going to end up with. I'm excited about my future - about one day smiling at myself for having achieved my own Personal Legend despite all the odds. I'm excited about telling my kids and my grandkids about all the hardships I had to face, and the exhilaration of surmounting them. I'm excited about living my life one day at a time, while savoring the element of eternity each day brings. I'm excited about feeling all the emotions evoked by all things life has to offer. And I am excited about living out the story written by God's own hands.
I appreciated the book more the second time around. I can very much relate to Santiago's experiences in his quest to fulfill his Personal Legend. I almost laughed out loud when I read this part, because I've just had a similar experience:
He was so ashamed that he wanted to cry. He had never even wept in front of his own sheep. But the marketplace was empty, and he was far from home, so he wept. He wept because God was unfair, and because this was the way God repaid those who believed in their dreams.
When I had my sheep, I was happy, and I made those around me happy. People saw me coming and welcomed me, he thought. But now I'm sad and alone. I'm going to become bitter and distrustful of people because one person betrayed me. I'm going to hate those who have found their treasure because I never found mine. And I'm going to hold on to what little I have, because I'm too insignificant to conquer the world.
This is the part of the story where the hero almost gives up his quest for the treasure hidden beneath the great Pyramids of Egypt. It's always like that, there's always some point in our lives when we're ready to give up fulfilling our destiny when facing obstacles along the way. But Santiago persisted and overcame all odds, and he ultimately found the treasure he was searching for. The funny thing is, the treasure wasn't found in the Pyramids. It was buried in an old church in Andalusia, where Santiago hails from, and where he first had this recurring dream about a treasure buried beneath the Pyramids. It turns out that fate just played a joke on him, that he didn't have to travel and cross the desert because his treasure was just right there where he started. But if he knew that from the start, then he wouldn't have met the alchemist, the beautiful gypsy woman who was later to become his wife, and all the other interesting people who was able to teach him him a thing or two about life; he wouldn't have seen the majestic pyramids and all the other exotic places; and he would have been robbed of the richness of the experience of his journey.
Paulo Coelho had put very beautifully what I think everyone wants to know: When you want something with all your heart, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it. But of course, you meet obstacles along the way to prepare your spirit and your will. And if I may add, to spice up the journey and make it all the more exciting.
I am actually excited about how my life is unfolding. Sometimes I'd like to take a backseat and just observe the course of my life from a bird's eye view, as if I'm looking at another person live her life. I'm excited about my love life - about who I'm going to end up with. I'm excited about my future - about one day smiling at myself for having achieved my own Personal Legend despite all the odds. I'm excited about telling my kids and my grandkids about all the hardships I had to face, and the exhilaration of surmounting them. I'm excited about living my life one day at a time, while savoring the element of eternity each day brings. I'm excited about feeling all the emotions evoked by all things life has to offer. And I am excited about living out the story written by God's own hands.
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